Written by Georgie Dennis
New Zealand mare Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) scored her first win since taking out the G1 Surround S. in the autumn in the G3 Bill Ritchie H. at Randwick on Saturday, and now has her sights set firmly on next month’s G1 Epsom H.
Trained by Jamie Richards, Probabeel was very impressive first-up in the G3 Show County H. where she flashed home to finish second and she backed up that form in this race as she settled one out, one back under Kerrin McEvoy taking some strong riding to get going, but once she did she scooted past Cuba (All Too Hard) to win by 1.3l.
Brandenburg (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) stuck on well to finish a further 1l away in third.
McEvoy has built a solid association with the mare but until today, he had partnered her to five seconds so he was pleased to get the win.
“It’s nice to have her back winning,” the jockey said “I’ve ridden her a bit, more-so this time in. I’ve had five seconds on her, so it’s about time we’ve had a win together.
"I’ve had five seconds on her, so it’s about time we’ve had a win together." - Kerrin McEvoy
“Today looked ideal for her, second-up out a little bit in trip, they’ve done a great job with her over here and Jamie has obviously done a good job from back home.”
The mare will now head straight to the Epsom on October 3, which she is now the second-favourite for behind her arch rival Funstar (Adelaide {Ire}), but McEvoy believes the Kiwi raider will be very hard to beat.
“She’s a lovely mare to ride and she’ll go out to the mile now and prove very hard to beat in the Epsom,” he said.
“She’s got a nice weight on her back in the Epsom, they are obviously very competitive, but she goes there with a great chance, she still has a nice improvement to come out of this race today.”
Probabeel as a yearling
Purchased by David Ellis for NZ$380,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale from the draft of Waikato Stud, Probabeel is the only foal to race out of Far Fetched (NZ) (Pins), who won three races and placed in the G3 Lowland S.
Far Fetched herself is out of a half-sister to the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude winner Legless Veuve (NZ) (Pins) and the Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Tootsie (NZ) (Pins), who is the dam of multiple Group 2 winner Ocean Emperor (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).
Another half-sister, Eudora (NZ) (Pins), is the dam of G1 New Zealand Oaks and Livamol Classic winner Savvy Coup (NZ) (Savabeel).
