Champion sire Savabeel produced a second candidate for the G1 Caulfield Guineas over the weekend when Best Case (NZ) posted a first-up victory at Gosford on Sunday.
The Waikato Stud resident kicked off with Eclair Big Bang (NZ) who sounded a warning to his three-year-old peers with a bold win at Morphettville on Saturday.
Eclair Big Bang (3g Savabeel – Ennerdale by Singspiel) was susceptible heading into the Ken Youels Memorial (1000m) according to trainer Phillip Stokes but he clocked the fastest 600m sectional of the day.
“He was only 80% fit and it was a heavy track, so I did go into the race thinking he was vulnerable,” said Stokes. “He has a lot of raw ability though and he’s a horse that just wants to win – which is not something you can train into them.”
Eclair Big Bang had been an ultra-impressive winner on debut at Morphettville at his only other run in March. He will start second-up in the G2 Danehill Stakes at Flemington in a fortnight.
The gelding is raced by Macau Jockey Club CEO Thomas Li and was a $280,000 buy from Phoenix Park at the 2012 NZB Karaka yearling sale. His dam Ennedale (GB) is a daughter of Deauville long-distance G2 winner Whitehaven (Top Ville).
Stokes also trained promising stayer Eclair Surprise (Blackfriars) but he broke down while being prepped for the G1 Singapore Cup in May.
Sydney based Best Case has also been nominated for the Caulfield Guineas and that was a pointer to his first-up claims in the Gosford RSL Plate (1200m) on Sunday.
Best Case (3g Savabeel – Ambitious by Last Tycoon) was put aside after finishing sixth on debut in April. Cummings bought him for $170,000 at the Inglis Easter yearling sale and he runs in the same colours as Group 1 winners Sir Dapper and Juggler.
His dam Ambitious was beaten a nose by Ad Alta in the 1999 NZ 1000 Guineas. Second dam Starcent (Centaine), a Waikato Stud homebred, was beaten a head in the 1994 edition of the 1000 Guineas
Savabeel (Zabeel) has sired 24 individual stakes winners in his first five crops and he stands for a $55,000 (inc gst) fee at Waikato Stud.