Star colt Savaglee is likely to be a notable absentee from all spring feature events.
The Group One-winning son of Savabeel has returned from an extended break and is in light work at owner Dick Karreman’s The Oaks Stud.
“You won’t see him probably until after Christmas, he could have a run here and then go to Australia,” trainer Pam Gerard said.
“Obviously, he’s been off for quite a while for a colt and it’s hard to make a plan until we get him back to the stable and see how he’s working, but the aim is a Group One in Australia.”
The Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner went close to a dream result in the autumn when he finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m), after which he was spelled.
“He’s had a big couple of years, so we decided to leave him out for a bit longer,” Gerard said.
“He’s doing some light work and will head to the water treadmill shortly and then we’ll see him back here at the stable.”
Meanwhile, Gerard and connections have unfinished business at Riccarton with their stakes-winning mare Cork.
The Matamata trainer has the seven-year-old on target for a third crack at the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) and will continue her preparation at Rotorua on Saturday.
Cork will complete her southern build-up in the Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua Handicap (1560m) with apprentice Jack Taplin’s claim to reduce her impost to 56kg.
“We thought about going straight to Riccarton without racing again, but it’s a bit of a gap and she’s done very, very well,” Gerard said.
“She’s flying at the moment, so we decided to have another run to keep her up to the mark and make sure she’s cherry ripe to go south.”
Cork went close to claiming top Winter Cup honours when she beat all bar Belardo Boy in the 2023 edition, and 12 months ago finished midfield.
“She ran second two years ago and then last year Lisa Allpress rode her and said the track was too sticky for her,” Gerard said.
“We backed her up a week later and she went out and won on a looser track.”
Cork emphasised she had come back from a spell in tip-top order with an impressive resuming victory in last month’s Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m).
“In the past couple of years, we’ve had a go at that race and always given her a trial and run beforehand,” Gerard said.
"It's a bit bizarre and as they get older you think they may need a bit more racing, she’s always been a bit weak and backward and is finally matured.
“After the way she trialled this time, we decided to do something different and run her fresh and it paid off.”
The stable will also have Zerre in the Macmillan Accountants Maiden (1215m) and Khando in the House Of Elliot Maiden (1560m).
“Zerre is a half-sister to (Group winner) Pendragon and went really well at Te Aroha in her first start back,” Gordon said.
“She’s a very fast filly and has wanted to do everything at 100 miles an hour and we’ve finally got her settled nicely now.
“Khando didn’t really like the track last time and didn’t go a bad race. She’s a late filly that wants to get up to 2000m, so we’ll give her this one and then go over more ground.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
