Waikato Stud named Breeder of the Year while Savabeel dominates yet again

Media Release - Sunday July 31

Outstanding stallion Savabeel’s dominance has translated into yet another clean sweep of stallion titles for the 2021/22 season, headlined by an eighth consecutive Grosvenor Award as Champion New Zealand Sire.

Waikato Stud’s superstar resident also claimed his seventh Centaine Award for worldwide progeny earnings and sixth Dewar Award for combined Australian and New Zealand progeny earnings, while the late O’Reilly, also a lynchpin of the Matamata nursery, claimed another Champion Broodmare Sire title.

Nick King (left) pictured with the Chittick family – Garry, Mark, Pippa, Mary and George Photo credit: Christine Dawkins

Savabeel’s unprecedented deeds were acknowledged at the National Breeding Awards, sponsored by AGrowQuip, which were presented at the Sir Don Rowlands Event Centre at Karapiro on Saturday evening.

“It’s been incredible for Savabeel with 19 stakes winners and the highest stakes producer in Australasia and long may it last, he’s a legend,” Waikato Stud’s Mark Chittick said.

“He’s healthy, looks great and last year he served 130-odd mares and got 120 in foal. He turns 21 on September 23 and we will certainly be honouring that, it’s in the planning.

“He is very important to us and very important to New Zealand. The (stallion) awards have been sitting with us on seven or eight occasions and it is lovely to have them again.

Chittick thanked those shareholders and supporters who enabled the farm to purchase the keenly sought-after Graeme Rogerson-trained Cox Plate winner upon his retirement from racing.

“17 or 18 years ago, it was a pretty big job to secure the horse and there was a fair bit of competition,” Chittick said.

“I want to thank those that originally stepped in. The deal happened in about an hour and the next day we were on the phone and got the horse syndicated and good on everyone who has supported the horse from day one. It has been an incredible ride but if it wasn’t for them, we couldn’t have done it.”

Savabeel

Overall, Zabeel’s peerless son Savabeel has a career tally of 125 stakes winners with 27 of them at Group One level, including 2021/22 elite level winners Mo’unga, Noverre, Probabeel, Savy Yong Blonk, The Chosen One and The Perfect Pink.

His contribution was immense to another stellar season for Waikato Stud, who celebrated 13 home-bred stakes winners, including five at Group One level and 17 black type-placed horses.

The Matamata farm’s efforts were acknowledged with the prestigious Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan Breeder of the Year Award, the eighth time it has been so honoured, with Waikato Stud, Garry Chittick & Chittick Investments (& Partners) receiving the accolade.

Its elite level winners featured Mo’unga, successful in the Winx Stakes (1400m), Probabeel who won the Might And Power Stakes (2000m), Noverre claimed the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), Never Been Kissed triumphed in the Flight Stakes (1600m) and Tiptronic won the Zabeel Classic (2000m).

Advertisement

“It is another season that we are extremely proud of and to get this award again – Garry and I and Mary and Pip and the big Waikato Stud family – it means so much to us,” Mark Chittick said.

“It is what we do (breeding horses), and it is actually only what we do.

“It has been an incredible year and the efforts of so many people go into getting an award like this and we are very thankful.

Chittick was loathe to single out a season highlight, but the racing heroics of Savabeel’s son Noverre and the farm subsequently securing his return to join his father at Waikato Stud was hugely satisfying.

“Noverre was a product of the farm and he’s back here, albeit a bit prematurely due to an unfortunate injury, but we’re very happy he’s on our stallion roster,” he said.

“In the 2000 Guineas, he was last on the turn and buried back on the rail and talking to Opie (Bosson), he just said once he got him out the race was won, which was pretty incredible.

“Any Group One is a good one, but that was very special for us.”

Verry Elleegant wins the Melbourne Cup - image Grant Courtney

The Seton Otway Horse of the Year was Verry Elleegant, with her octogenarian breeder Don Goodwin named New Zealand Small Breeder of the Year – NZTBA.

Verry Elleegant’s dam Opulence shared the honours for Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year with Galileo mare Baggy Green, dam of Tofane, No Compromise and Benaud.

The Mary Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award went to Waikato Stud’s Bloodstock Manager Jaimee Gowler.

Haunui Farm Managing Director Mark Chitty was named NZTBA Personality of the Year, with the third generation stud master and veterinarian making a broad contribution to racing and breeding via a host of voluntary roles which include as board member of the Racing Hall of Fame and the Equine Health Trust, in addition to playing a pivotal role in the merger of the Auckland Racing Club and Counties Racing Club to form Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, where he is Vice President, having previously been President of the Counties Racing Club.

Chitty has also served as the Vice President of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and on the Board of New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Cambridge Stud to Sell Entire Draft at Karaka 2026
Leading thoroughbred nursery Cambridge Stud have committed their full support for NZB’s 2026 National Yearling Sales Series, with the announcement they will be selling 100% of their yearling stock at Karaka. 
Profondo Weanlings Impress
The first progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Profondo made a favourable impression during the NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka on Thursday.
Blueblood Filly a Third Winner for Tagaloa
Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes winner Tagaloa is one of the more affordable sires on the Yulong roster and he sired his third winner at Bendigo on Thursday when well bred filly Teine Aulelia made a winning debut.
Storm Boy Retired to Coolmore Australia
An utterly dominant winner of the $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic, the hugely exciting son of the international sire sensation Justify is set to join the Coolmore Australia roster in 2025.
Coles Bows Out After 60 Years
Pukekohe’s Wednesday meeting marked the end of an era for Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, as Ross Coles, a treasured figure in the industry, retired after 60 years as Clerk of the Course.
Do Early Winners Equate to Long Term Stud Success?
As we move towards the end of the racing season, attention invariably focuses on first season sires and who will be the leader of the cohort by winners and it’s a close run race this year, but does any of it matter in the grand scheme of things?
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 26
Here is the full list of 42 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday June 24
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday June 25
Here is the full list of 42 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Promising 2YOs for Pike
Tony Pike found it difficult to split his juvenile charges the last time they took each other on and it’s the same story at Ruakaka.