Savabeel gelding Savvy Nature (NZ) will be set for Group 1 assignments after a smooth victory in the G3 Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle on Wednesday.

Savvy Nature (3g Savabeel – Generous Nature by Carnegie) powered home under James McDonald in a convincing performance to defeat Wordplay (Fastnet Rock) and Happy Clapper (Teofilo).

Trainer John O’Shea announced the Kiwi bred gelding would now head to the G3 Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill before a Group 1 challenges in the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and Victoria Derby (2500m).

“He’s a nice horse and has always had a good turn of foot,” O’Shea said.  “After the Champion Stakes, I would love to get him to Flemington – I think he will make a Derby horse.”

Savvy Nature is the 25th stakes winner for Savabeel and was a $200,000 buy from Lyndhurst Farm at the 2012 NZ Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.  His owners include prominent Sydney racing identity Max Whitby who also part-owned Savabeel.

The Spring Stakes winner is out of unraced mare Generous Nature (Carnegie).  Second-dam La Lagune (Danehill) won two Listed races and was second in a G1 Blue Diamond Stakes.

Savabeel (Zabeel) stands at Waikato Stud for a $55,000 service fee.