Written by Richard Edmunds
Saturday’s Karaka Million 2YO victory by Cool Aza Beel (NZ) (Savabeel) was a superb result for the colt’s breeders, Fairdale Stud.
Cool Aza Beel was an emphatic winner of the lucrative sales-restricted feature at Ellerslie, shaking free of the favourite Play That Song (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) to win by 1.5l. He became the fourth consecutive winner of the race for the Te Akau Racing syndication powerhouse, trainer Jamie Richards and jockey Opie Bosson.
Now the winner of three of his four starts, Cool Aza Beel was a NZ$150,000 purchase from the Fairdale Stud draft during the Book 1 session of the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
“That Karaka Million win was a massive thrill for us,” Fairdale’s Duncan Fell told TDN AusNZ at Karaka on Saturday.
“It’s the sort of result you dream about as a breeder or vendor, but you don’t really expect it to happen that way. It was a great day and one we’ll remember for a long time.”
Cool Aza Beel (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of Te Akau Racing
Cool Aza Beel is the first foal out of Cool ‘n’ Sassy (Testa Rossa), who Fell bought for just $13,000 at the 2016 Inglis Great Southern Yearling Sale.
“She was a nice mare who I was able to buy quite cheaply in Australia,” Fell said.
“I went over there looking for mares to send to Savabeel. I haven’t got the big budgets of some of the other buyers at those sales, but I thought this mare had a nice, fast Australian pedigree, and when I looked at her, she met all of my physical criteria.
“Sometimes horses can fall through the cracks a little bit in terms of their price in the sale ring, and I happened to be Johnny on the spot and took advantage of it.”
“Sometimes horses can fall through the cracks a little bit in terms of their price in the sale ring, and I happened to be Johnny on the spot and took advantage of it.” - Duncan Fell
A three-race winner, Cool ‘n’ Sassy is out of a half-sister to dual Group 1-winning sprinter Malaguerra (Magnus) and the Listed Ottawa S. winner Tennessee Midnight (Danehill {USA}), who is the dam of G1 Coolmore Classic winner Aloha (Encosta de Lago). In turn, Aloha is the dam of the exciting sprinting filly Libertini (I Am Invincible).
Unfortunately, Fairdale’s plan to sell a full brother to Cool Aza Beel at the 2020 National Yearling Sale did not come to pass.
“He was a wobbler, unfortunately,” Fell said. “It would have been great to sell the full brother at Karaka just a couple of days after a big win in the Karaka Million, but it wasn’t to be. Sometimes you’ve got to take the good with the bad in this game.”
Cool Aza Beel (NZ) and jockey Opie Bosson
Cool ‘n’ Sassy’s next mating was to the well-performed Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Iffraaj (GB).
“She’s got a smashing Iffraaj filly at foot now,” Fell said. “She foaled in November, so she wasn’t served this season, but I dare say she’ll be going back to Savabeel again next spring.”
Fell has now turned his attention to the 2020 National Yearling Sale at Karaka, where Fairdale are selling a five-strong draft in the Book 1 session.
“We’ve got five really nice athletes to sell in Book 1 this week,” Fell said. “There’s a lovely Savabeel filly (Lot 248, set to go through the ring on Monday morning) who’s as nice a filly as any I’ve bred in the last few years. We’ve got really good expectations for her, and I can’t wait to see how she goes.”
Lot 248 - Savabeel x Saoirse (NZ) (filly)
