Kiwi super sire Savabeel enjoyed a high profile double on Saturday with Group I winner Embellish and Group II winner Savapinski, both horses purchased as yearlings at Karaka.
The prestigious $500,000 Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) is developing a reputation as a stallion-making race, and the blue-blooded $775,000 coltEmbellish(NZ) (Savabeel) could follow that path after a superb win in the Riccarton classic on Saturday.
Embellish was one of three runners in Saturday's race carrying the tangerine colours of Te Akau Racing, which is headed by Karaka's perennial leading buyer David Ellis. The outstanding colt lived up to his pedigree, his looks and his hot favouritism as he cruised to the lead in the straight and beat a star-studded field by a length and a quarter.
His stablemateAge Of Fire (Fastnet Rock) was second, with the stable's other runnerTe Akau Shark(NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) close-up in fourth. Spoiling the Te Akau trifecta by a nose was the third-placed Karaka graduateEver Loyal(Sebring).
"This is one of New Zealand's iconic races," Ellis said. "I bought Embellish to win this race, he's a stunning colt, and everything we've done with him has been with the 2000 Guineas in mind.
"They're a great bunch of owners, they'll really celebrate this and they deserve to. They're what racing's about. A lot of the syndicate are also in the ownership of Age Of Fire as well, so this is a great result for them."
A full-brother to the Group 1 winnerDiademe(NZ) (Savabeel), Embellish has now had four starts for three wins, one placing and more than $315,000 in prize-money.
Te Akau Racing have now won the 2000 Guineas six times, and five of them have been Karaka graduates –King's Chapel(King Of Kings),Darci Brahma(NZ) (Danehill),Rock 'N' Pop(Fastnet Rock),Xtravagant(NZ) (Pentire) and Embellish.
| Vendor | Waikato Stud Ltd |
| Purchaser | Mr DC Ellis (Te Akau) |
| Breeding | Savabeel – Bling |
| Sale | Lot 200, 2016 Premier Sale, $775,000 |
Talented mareSavapinski(NZ) (Savabeel), who cost just $70,000 as a yearling at Karaka, picked up the biggest win of her short career to date when she dominated Saturday's A$300,000 Group 2 7News Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
The four-year-old, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, when straight to the lead in the fillies and mares' feature and never looked back. With Brenton Avdulla in the saddle she powered to victory by two and three-quarter lengths. It was her fourth win from seven starts and boosted her prize-money earnings to A$267,880.
"She's a mare on the rise," Waterhouse said. "I just felt this race would be a nice target which I've had for her for a while and I thought she'd be hard to beat.
"I knew if she used her speed they would not run her down. She just skipped away from them. She was like a little bunny rabbit."
Savapinski was bred by Waikato Stud and is by the stud's champion stallion Savabeel. The same breeders and sire also had classic success on Saturday with the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winnerEmbellish(NZ).
Savapinski was offered by Waikato Stud at the 2015 Select Sale at Karaka, where Dynamic Syndications and Gai Waterhouse Racing bought her for $70,000.
| Vendor | Waikato Stud Ltd |
| Purchaser | Dynamic Syndications/Gai Waterhouse Racing |
| Breeding | Savabeel – Swarovski |
| Sale | Lot 729, 2015 Select Sale, $70,000 |
