Tavistock Quinella at Valley

Media Release - Saturday August 12

Former Cambridge Stud stallion Tavistock played a starring role at Moonee Valley on Saturday with a quinella in the Ladbrokes Racing Club Challenger Handicap (2040m), headed by emerging four-year-old Superstock.

Superstock finished ahead of Havisham (inner) for a Tavistock quinella at Moonee Valley on Saturday.  Photo: Bruno Cannatelli

Unplaced in the Gr.3 Chairman’s Stakes (2000m) during an aborted Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) campaign in the autumn, Superstock has returned bigger, stronger and better in his latest preparation. He has now recorded a win, two seconds, a third and a fourth from six appearances since June, and Saturday’s performance hinted at even more to come.

Ridden by Craig Williams for trainers Mark and Levi Kavanagh, Superstock settled in fourth along the rail, then began to slide closer as fellow Tavistock gelding Havisham pinched a break on the field with 400m remaining.

Havisham rounded the home turn with a clear lead, but Superstock lengthened stride and clawed his way past to beat him by half a length.

Superstock has now had 11 starts for two wins, four placings and A$112,800 in prize-money.

“He’s been relatively consistent,” Levi Kavanagh said. “We had the Derby in Adelaide in mind for him earlier in the year, and he’d done really well on the way up, but we just weren’t sure about that distance.

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“He went to Adelaide, but he went forward and just burned himself out in the running in his Derby lead-up. We decided to give him a break, then brought him back and focussed on slightly shorter trips. He ran a super race for second over 1400m at Caulfield (June 24), he flew home that day, and he’s gone on well since then.

“He’s found a bit of bad luck in a couple of his races since then, but he sat closer today and didn’t have as much work to do. It was a great ride from Craig Williams and it suited him down to the ground. He extended and was able to get there when it counted.

“I think he’s got scope to keep improving. He’s still quite lowly rated, so there are some opportunities for him to kick on.”

One of 518 winners from 736 runners for the late, great Tavistock, Superstock was bred by Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay. He is the first named foal out of the Savabeel mare Sistabeel, who herself was a four-time winner on the racetrack. NZ Racing Desk.

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Race Result - Ladbrokes Racing Club Challenger (Bm70) 2040m

Moonee Valley Track: Good(3) Time: 2:05.11
1
Superstock
- 4g Tavistock (NZ) x Sistabeel (AUS) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Mark & Levi Kavanagh Rdr: Craig Williams 57
2
0.5
Havisham
- 6g Tavistock (NZ) x So Pristine (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Andrea Leek Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 55.5
3
1.5
Bond Street Beau
- 5g Turn Me Loose (NZ) x Next (GB) (In The Wings (GB))
Tnr: Andrew Bobbin Rdr: Ben Allen 58.5
4
1.6
Duke Of Hastings
- 5g Sacred Falls (NZ) x Fairygem (NZ) (Viscount (AUS))
Tnr: Simon Zahra Rdr: H Coffey 58.5
5
2.6
La Spezia
- 6m Toronado (IRE) x Lerichi (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Jamie Edwards Rdr: Carleen Hefel 54.5
6
3.1
Ashy Boy
- 5g Star Witness (AUS) x Al Julhara (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: P Kearney Rdr: Logan McNeil 56.5
7
3.5
Meiner Legacy
- 6g Rulership (JPN) x Rosette Nebula (JPN) (Neo Universe (JPN))
Tnr: Aaron Purcell Rdr: Declan Bates 60
8
3.6
Shultzy
- 6g Helmet (AUS) x Princess Hussey (AUS) (Husson (ARG))
Tnr: Pat Cannon Rdr: Liam Riordan 61
9
3.7
Confrontational
- 6g Redoute's Choice (AUS) x Zastava (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Jason Warren Rdr: Tatum Bull 57
10
4.4
Wascaly
- 6g Complacent (AUS) x Goolagong (IRE) (Giant's Causeway (USA))
Tnr: Smiley Chan Rdr: M J Dee 60.5
11
4.7
Red Columbine
- 5m Redwood (GB) x Surprize Surprize (NZ) (Prized (USA))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: Beau Mertens 56
12
5.7
Girello
- 5g Reward For Effort (AUS) x Mrs Tangles (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: M C Kent Rdr: W F Pinn 56.5
13
9.7
Delcoff
- 6g Rock Sturdy (AUS) x Bella Flight (AUS) (Super Jet (USA))
Tnr: M W Greig Rdr: Ms A Herrmann 54
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