Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Raceday recap:
A bridesmaid no more in the stakes wins category, Savvy Hallie (Hellbent) backed up her maiden victory last weekend with a super performance to win the G2 Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick.
Zoustar colts Space Rider and Zoufield scored an interstate double for TFI and Kia Ora Stud, with Space Rider now on a path to the G1 Caulfield Guineas.
Tony Gollan-trained Impervious (Farnan) gave her second season sire a scorching hot sixth individual winner for the season, and helped deliver her trainer a metropolitan four-timer at Eagle Farm.
Bingi (Snitzel) continued another super Saturday for his late sire when clocking win two from three starts at Moonee Valley for Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman.
Savvy Hallie makes Silver stakes breakthrough
The talented Savvy Hallie (Hellbent) took home her maiden stakes victory on Saturday when capturing the G2 Silver Shadow Stakes at Royal Randwick. Twice placed at Group level as a juvenile - denied each time by Nepotism (Brutal {NZ}) and Tempted {Street Boss {USA}) - she claimed her maiden win last start, and took the return to stakes level with aplomb.
The filly bounded away in the home straight from multiple stakes winner Within The Law (Lucky Vega {Ire}) to score by three quarters of a length.
Trainer Brad Widdup admitted he had had some reservations about going on the seven day backup since the filly’s maiden victory in Newcastle last weekend, but the gamble paid off.
“We waited until last week and ran her and then we had to back her up here, so big call,” he said after the race. "She was just brilliant. It's great when they handle a track like this. Great call to run today so I will give them (her owners) a bit of credit there for once.
“Great call to run today so I will give them (Savvy Hallie's owners) a bit of credit there for once.” - Brad Widdup
“I think she is too brilliant to keep pushing out further. She did a good jump, 900 to 1200 today. We will probably aim up in a fortnight and then see how we go.”
The G2 Furious Stakes beckons in a fortnight’s time, before Widdup eyes up the second two legs of the Princess Series.
Savvy Hallie winning the G2 Silver Shadow Stakes | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“She is a genuine Group horse every day of the week," said jockey Jay Ford. "Hopefully as she furnishes and gets older she might take that next step again, but her tenacity and will to win, and just how genuine she is - she flies the machines, puts herself in a spot - so she gives herself every chance of success.”
“She (Savvy Hallie) is a genuine Group horse every day of the week.” - Jay Ford
Sales: A $150,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale purchase for Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) from Baramul Stud, Savvy Hallie was offered the following year at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, where B K Racing and Breeding secured her for $320,000 from Riverstone Lodge’s draft.
Connections of Savvy Hallie after winning the G2 Silver Shadow Stakes | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Pedigree: Savvy Hallie is the second foal from dual winner Rose Of Savannah (Fastnet Rock), a granddaughter of NZ Bloodstock Filly of the Year Savannah Success (Success Express {USA}), dam of champion stallion Savabeel. Her juvenile half-brother Katoto (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is in the stable of Chris Waller, and Rose of Savannah is due to foal to Reliable Man (GB) this spring.
Classy Zoustar colts deliver interstate double for TFI and Kia Ora
The enduring colts partnership of Kia Ora Stud and Tony Fung Investments had a memorable double on Saturday with Zoustar colts Zoufield and Space Rider, the former scoring on debut at Newcastle and the latter returning with a big finish at Moonee Valley.
Three-year-old Zoufield, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, gave no quarter to his competition at Newcastle, cruising home to an emphatic three and a half length victory under Zac Wadick, with Parfumier (Exceed And Excel) in second.
Sales: TFI, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and Kestrel Thoroughbreds outlaid $500,000 to secure Zoufield at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale where he was offered by The Chase.
Pedigree: Zoufield is the second winner for dual victress Grasslands (Snitzel), a full sister to Champion 2YO Filly Away Game and Listed-winning, Group-placed Modern Wonder. Grasslands has a yearling by Capitalist to follow, and is in foal to the Newgate Farm-based stallion again for this spring.
At Moonee Valley, Space Rider made an impact with his spring opener in the $150,000 Mick Gleeson Plate. Trained by Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr, the 3-year-old colt tracked pacesetter Aleppo Pine (Blue Point {Ir}) around the home turn, before making his move with 50 metres left to run, winning by three quarters of a length over Wise Inlaw (Wootton Bassett {GB}).
Mick Price was pleased to see the colt return so well after his promising preparation went awry.
“He wasn't right at start number two,” Price said after the race. “We were messing around with blood pictures that week and, being an immature horse, he didn't turn up that day. So, you just forget that run and judge him on today and what he did first-up.”
Price credited the hard work put in by their Sydney team for the colt’s performance, and indicated that a path to the G1 Caulfield Guineas awaited now.
Mick Price | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He's a lovely big, lengthy horse. He's going to the Exford Plate (at Flemington), the Stutt Stakes, back here, and then onto the Caulfield Guineas. He's got ‘mile’ written all over him and he's a lovely horse.”
“He's (Space Rider) got ‘mile’ written all over him and he's a lovely horse.” - Mick Price
Sales: Mick Price Racing & Breeding, TFI, and Dermot Farrington Bloodstock signed the docket for $500,000 for Space Rider from Longwood Thoroughbreds’ draft at the Gold Coast in January 2024.
Pedigree: Space Rider is a full brother to G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Brereton (Zoustar) out of G3 WATC Champion Fillies Stakes winner Fuddle Dee Duddle (Red Ransom {USA}), a half-sister to G2 Gilgai Stakes winner Hallowell Belle (Starcraft {NZ}) and Bella Orfana (Star Witness), the dam of Longwood Thoroughbreds’ multiple Group 1 winner Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai). Fuddle Dee Duddle slipped this past season, and has a yearling full sister to Space Rider for the 2026 sales series.
Space Rider as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Impervious takes Farnan’s second season total to six
The runner-up for leading first season sire in the 2024/25 season, Kia Ora Stud’s Farnan has kicked his first 3-year-olds off with a bang, surging into the lead with his sixth individual seasonal winner on Saturday with Impervious at Eagle Farm. The Tony Gollan-trained filly, also a winner on debut back in January, brings his total to double that of his nearest rival.
Tracking the leader, stablemate Foreign Press (Invader), into the home straight in the 1200-metre contest, Impervious ground hard within the final stretch to snatch the lead and win by a head over the other filly.
Impervious’s victory, combined with Party For Two (Side Step), Gospel Girl (Epaulette), and About To Explode (Spirit Of Boom) in the last, landed a Saturday metropolitan four-timer for Gollan. Gospel Girl and Impervious also delivered a Saturday metropolitan double for connections Strong Bloodstock.
Sales: Another Magic Millions weanling graduate when bought for $80,000 by Wahha Thoroughbreds from Vinery Stud, Impervious passed in when offered at the following Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Impervious as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Pedigree: Impervious is the first foal of five-time winner Northern River (Ad Valorem {USA}), who is a half-sister to dual Listed winner Vinco (I Am Invincible) and Berimbau (Shamardal {USA}), best known as the dam of Imperatriz (I Am Invincible). Bahen Bloodstock and Kris Lees secured Impervious's half-brother by Stay Inside at this year's Classic sale, and her dam is due to foal next month to Home Affairs.
Bingi makes it two from three at Moonee Valley
Untapped 3-year-old Bingi (Snitzel) scored a second win from three starts on Saturday at Moonee Valley, winning the $150,000 Manhari Handicap. The 3-year-old colt, who is trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, was boxed in between Crossbow (Better Than Ready) and Cyssan (Pierata) for much of the run before finding clear air upon straightening, letting down impressively to win by one and a half lengths.
The colt was a winner on debut at Geelong in July, before running third at Sandown 10 days before Saturday’s race, and has made the step up to Saturday metropolitan level with ease.
“He’s a promising horse going forward,” said Coleman. ”We’ll see how he comes through it and see whether he’s got more left in the tank. He’s a horse that’s going to appreciate stepping out a little bit further in trip as time goes on.
“We thought it could turn out nicely for him if he was able to have a bunny today. His first couple of runs, he’s been the one doing the hard work out in front.
“I thought Zac (Spain) rode him beautifully today, (there were) a few strides there where I wondered if we were going to get stuck in an awkward position, but he didn’t panic, It was a lovely watch in the end.”
Sales: Bingi runs in breeder Ramsey Pastoral’s colours, having passed in at Magic Millions when offered by Kenmore Lodge.
Pedigree: Bingi is a half-brother to Listed Poseidon Stakes winner Ranch Hand (Fastnet Rock) out of six-time winner Mezulla (NZ) (Shamardal {USA}), from the family of Jacquinot and Away Game. Mezulla was served in 2024 by Pride Of Dubai.
