Savabeel's The Chosen One Secures Caulfield Cup Start

Mark Smith - Sunday October 13

New Zealand stayer The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) has earned a ticket into the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) with a hard-fought victory in Saturday's Group II Herbert Power Stakes (2400m).

As the winner of Saturday's 2400m handicap, The Chosen One gains a ballot exemption into next week's A$5 million Caulfield Cup.

Advertisement

Backed from $9 to $6.50, The Chosen One scored a half-length win under Damian Lane from last year's Melbourne Cup placegetter Prince Of Arran (Shirocco) with Sully (NZ) (Reliable Man) three lengths away third. (image Grant Courtney )


The Chosen One had his price slashed for next week's Cup from $101 to $11 and can't be penalised for the win.

Murray Baker, who trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman, is chasing a second Caulfield Cup having won the race in 2015 with Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor).

"Mongolian Khan did everything right, he was an experienced horse," Baker said.

"He'd won two Derbys, he was pretty strong. This guy is hopefully on the way up."

Baker said it was important to see The Chosen One back in form after producing a disappointing performance in the weight-for-age Gr.1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 29.

He said dropping back to handicap conditions suited the four-year-old.

"The speed was on and he saw the trip out which was the main thing and we go on to the Caulfield Cup now, I think."

Lane switches to Japanese stayer Mer De Glance (Rulership) but said The Chosen One, with his light weight of 52kg, was a contender in next week's race.

Bred by Tony, Joe, Ray and Martin Dennis, The Chosen One is a son of Savabeel and the Group Three-placed Flying Spur mare The Glitzy One, who won eight races from 1400m to 2500m.

It is a family The Dennis Brothers have cultivated over generations, with the grand dam the dual Group One winner The Jewel (NZ) (O'Reilly).

"It's the first time we've put a syndicate of our own together," Tony Dennis said. "We usually just race them ourselves.

"We tried to sell him at Karaka as a yearling and we put a $150,000 reserve on him, but he got to $130,000.

"Later Tony Rider suggested we syndicate him. He took 10 percent straight away and it went from there.

"I asked Murray Baker whether he'd train him and he said he'd love to, after having trained The Phantom from the same family all those years ago."

Under the guidance of Baker, The Phantom's (NZ) (Noble Bijou) performances included a win in the Gr.1 Underwood Stakes and a second in the 1990 Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).

"The syndicate just went from there," Dennis said. "Our family has ended up with 40 percent and the rest is divided up with friends.

"I'm really enjoying watching the fun the syndicate is having with him."

The syndicate includes Janine Dunlop, who regularly prepares the Dennis brothers horses for the National Yearling Sales at Karaka under her Phoenix Park banner.

AAP - Additional reporting NZ Racing Desk


Advertisment
More Reading...
Mogumber Park hoists wet sail with Marine One
This time last year, the first foals by Mogumber Park stallion Marine One were widely regarded as some of the best types on the ground in Western Australia.
Savabeel Colt Secures Karaka Million Start
Te Akau Racing’s quest to win the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) for the fourth year in succession was bolstered considerably when Cool Aza Beel ensured his place in the field with a dominant victory at Tauranga on Friday.
Kiwi Sires a Recipe for NZB Ready to Run Sale Success
Much of the NZB Ready to Run Sale’s extraordinary success has been underpinned by the stallions that have stood in New Zealand in recent decades.
Sires With Winners - Friday October 3
Here is the full list of 61 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
2YO Stakes Racing – Sale Mail
Three stakes races for new season juveniles add plenty of interest to a stellar day of racing this Saturday in Sydney and Melbourne, so let’s take a look at the Sale Mail for these races.
Who Was Flight?
A G1 race since 1984, the Flight Stakes is a race won by special fillies - often the ones who go on to do extraordinary things on the track against all comers as older mares and that's as it should be as Hall Of Fame legend Flight exemplified that style of thoroughbred.
Savabeel Blueblood Wins G3 Desert Gold
A copybook ride by Opie Bosson paved the way for promising filly Showbeel to add a valuable black type success to her career record when she took out the first feature race at Trentham on Saturday, the Group III New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes (1600m).
Recent success highlights Inglis Digital October (Early) Sale
A range of exciting racing and breeding prospects – as well as a number of in-form racehorses and shares in Stakes winners – headline the Inglis Digital October (Early) Online Sale.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
We had three heats for 2YO’s run at Warwick Farm on Friday morning over 815m with winners by Farnan, Ole Kirk and Kia Ora Stud’s first season sire Captivant, while Stay Inside had an impressive trial winner at Murray Bridge.
Probabeel Chasing Karaka Million History
High-class filly Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) will shoot for a slice of history at the Karaka Million twilight race meeting at Ellerslie on January 25.