By Bren O'Brien
Savannah Cloud (NZ) (Savabeel) has emerged as a possible contender for next month's G1 Caulfield Guineas after breaking his maiden with an emphatic 5.5l win at Cranbourne on Sunday.
The Phillip Stokes-trained colt was having his third start, having been placed at Caulfield and Flemington in his last campaign, and given cover three-wide off the pace in a 1200 metre race, surged clear down the straight to win by a widening margin over Zoutellus (Zoustar) with Baglioni (Cluster) third.
Off the strength of the win, Savannah Cloud shortened into $26 in the Caulfield Guineas market which is headed by Flying Award (Shamus Award) at $8.
Trainer Phillip Stokes believes the colt can take the step up in class quickly, with the G3 Guineas Prelude on September 26 a likely next assignment.
“He’s an exciting horse,” Stokes said. “I was happy with the way he relaxed today and put paid to them. He can go onto better things now.
“We’ve got two weeks to the (Caulfield Guineas) Prelude, if he comes through this that might be the logical step to see where he is at.
“He is a well-bred son of Savabeel and he’s still intact so we will live the dream.”
“He is a well-bred son of Savabeel and he’s still intact so we will live the dream.” - Phillip Stokes
Savannah Cloud was a NZ$140,000 buy for Dalziel Bloodstock and Peter Moody from the draft of Haunui Farm at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Sale at Karaka.
Savannah Cloud as a yearling
Bred by Marie Leicester, he is out of multiple Group-winning mare Annie Higgins (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), who has already produced the multiple New Zealand winner Jimmy James (NZ) (Savabeel).
Annie Higgins, whose best wins came in the G3 Waikato Gold Cup and G3 Counties Cup, is a grand-daughter of Tri Belle (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), the one-time New Zealand Filly of the Year and multiple stakes winner.
Annie Higgins produced an Ocean Park (NZ) colt last year and is in foal to the Waikato Stud stallion again.
