Savabeel Ready to Run Graduate Salutes at The Valley

Media Release - Saturday December 23

Well-related four-year-old Raetihi showed his rivals a clean pair of heels as he led virtually throughout to score a narrow victory in the Cirka Group Handicap (1600m) at The Valley.

Raetihi staves off the challenge of Cradle of Life to score at The Valley Photo: Bruno Cannatelli

The son of Savabeel is prepared by Emma-Lee and David Browne from their Pakenham base and has found his winning groove this campaign, having commenced it a maiden.

The gelding has won three of his last five starts and finished no worse than fourth since resuming in August, with Saturday’s triumph making it successive wins at The Valley.

Sent to the front by rider Billy Egan shortly after jumping well from barrier eight in the 10-horse field, Raethi dictated terms nicely and was travelling well as he skipped clear rounding the home bend.

Chased hard by eventual runner-up Cradle Of Life, Egan got the best out of his mount to hold out the stout challenge and win by a neck at the line.

“He’s finally turned the corner. He used to be a hairy little horse that we knew had ability, but he is just loving life at the moment and Billy gave him a lovely ride,” Emma-Lee Browne said.

“He’s not the easiest, but Billy seems to just get a tune out of him.

“He is a very strong-willed horse and doesn’t like to take a sit easily.”

Advertisement

Egan confirmed Raetihi was nearly out of gas late but said he had gained some insights to the son of Savabeel having partnered him to his previous success at The Valley.

“He has been a little bit difficult but the (last two) races have worked out nicely for him,” Egan said.

“I learnt something from riding him the other day. I took my time when getting there the other day. I didn’t want to rev him up, but he is that way anyway so you can use him a bit early and cross them quickly because he is probably going to race a bit boldly no matter how kind you are to him.

“He can sustain a pretty good gallop. He just sustained it for long enough today and I don’t think he needs it any further than a mile.”

Bred by Waikato Stud, Raetihi is by Savabeel out of the O’Reilly mare Lego, a winning daughter of multiple Group One winner Legs.

Under their Sparta Racing banner, the Brownes went to $155,000 to purchase the gelding from the draft of Ohukia Lodge at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - The Cirka Group (Bm64) 1600m

Moonee Valley Track: Good(4) Time: 1:35.88
1
Raetihi
- 4g Savabeel (AUS) x Lego (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: E & D Browne Rdr: W Egan 60
2
0.3
Cradle Of Life
- 4g Written Tycoon (AUS) x Miss Tomb Raider (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: Richard Laming Rdr: W F Pinn 56
3
1.8
Harbin
- 5g Artie Schiller (USA) x Gibraltar Storm (AUS) (Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE))
Tnr: L Smith Rdr: Celine Gaudray 60
4
4.6
Marlion's Dream
- 6g Skilled (AUS) x Dream Chaser (AUS) (Charge Forward (AUS))
Tnr: Bill Papazaharoudakis Rdr: Thomas Stockdale 60
5
6.8
Oceanic Flash
- 6g Sacred Falls (NZ) x Pinot Gris (NZ) (Pentire (GB))
Tnr: Andrew Payne Rdr: Carleen Hefel 61.5
6
7
Regal Zeus
- 3g Zoustar (AUS) x Quiet Kitten (USA) (Kitten's Joy (USA))
Tnr: John McArdle Rdr: J Mott 60
7
7.8
Ziggi Rocks
- 7g Excelebration (IRE) x Flinders Chase (AUS) (Tale Of The Cat (USA))
Tnr: Ms M Cunningham Rdr: R J Hurdle 62.5
8
10
Akrotiri
- 4g Tarzino (NZ) x Tsarina Belle (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: Ms C Alderson Rdr: D Moor 61.5
9
11
It's Tornado Storm
- 7g Toronado (IRE) x Zodiac Queen (AUS) (King's Best (USA))
Tnr: Rory Hunter Rdr: C Newitt 61
10
12.5
Show Me Champagne
- 5m Showcasing (GB) x Dancing Light (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: A R Coffey Rdr: Logan McNeil 56
More Reading...
Narrow Miss for Hellbent Gelding in G2 Foxbridge
Lhasa proved he is more than a synthetic track specialist when he nearly caused an upset when finishing runner-up in Saturday’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.
Merchant Navy 3YO Primed for Spring Stakes Campaign
Cody Cole is happy to play a waiting game with Landlock before confirming the three-year-old’s main goals for the season.
Inglis Ready2Race Sale Now Online
The strongest collection of sire power ever assembled for an Australian 2YO Sale will be offered at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, for which the catalogue is now available online.
Sires With Winners - Sunday August 24
Here is the full list of 67 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Spring Trial Watch – Hawkesbury
There was an interesting set of trials at Hawkesbury on Monday that featured heat winners including Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, Randwick Guineas winner Linebacker as well as the Waterhouse Bott stable Cups contenders Sir Delius (GB) and Vauban (FR), plus we may have seen an Everest horse.
Top Filly Beats Top Colt in G1 Prix Morny
The Group I Prix Morny (1200m) at Deauville overnight produced a mightly clash between unbeaten Starspangled banner colt Gstaad and unbeaten filly Venetian Sun with the filly prevailing, although Starspangledbanner got some consolation with a new G3 winning 2YO at Goodwood.
First Stakes Success For Cafe Millenium
While having just turned 5, former Sydneysider Cafe Millenium (Not A Single Doubt), who now calls Lindsay Park home, broke through for his first black type victory on Saturday, winning the Listed SAJC Leon Macdonald Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville in impressive fashion.
Commemorative Retired to Stud
Watching the progress of Godolphin horses as they start stepping our for their new trainers has been interesting to say the least and will get more so this weekend when we see Tom Kitten go around in the Group I MRC Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, but one horse we won’t be seeing again is Commemorative.
First Southern Hemisphere foals for Paddington
A four-time Group I winner by champion French sire Siyouni, European superstar, PADDINGTON, has had his first Southern Hemisphere foals arrive on the ground at Windsor Park.
Idyllic Prince Stakes - Phanta Leads a Sweet Trifecta for Gingerbread Man
Yarradale Stud's senior stallion Gingerbread Man achieved a rare career high for any sire when the son of Shamardal provided the trifecta in Saturday's Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes over 1300m at Belmont Park.