Graeme Rogerson tipped a big future at stud for Savabeel when his Cox Plate winner retired to stud and that prediction has turned to pay-dirt this season. High Chaparral is the only NZ based sire ahead of Savabeel (Zabeel) on the Australian second season sires’ premiership in 2009-10.
Rogerson upped the ante when he trained a Savabeel treble on either side of the Tasman on Friday. Grandissima won the first leg at Te Awamutu while Sukab and King Sabeel scored on the Albury Cup undercard.
“I think he could be the next big stallion for New Zealand behind Sir Tristram and Zabeel,” Rogerson said this time last year. “All the top trainers are talking up the Savabeels. The more ground they’re given, the better they’ll be.”
Rogerson trains Grandissima for Chequers Stud owner Jim Campin. She is a half-sister to G1 Avondale Gold Cup winner The Mighty Lions (Grosvenor) and she appreciated getting up to 2000m yesterday.
Both Savabeel winners at Albury were ridden by Blake Shinn and should keep progressing.
Sukab had won four Randwick barrier trials and started a $3 favourite in the Ace Radio 2AY Maiden (1175m). Rogerson’s races the gelding under his Dormello Stud banner in partnership with Max Whitby. Sukab is from Call Me Lily (Just A Dancer) won 8 races in Sydney and Melbourne and was also a Listed winner of the Wagga Gold Cup.
Rogerson rated King Sabeel highly long before he won the Hume Event Hire Hcp (1600m) yesterday. The gelding scored at Rosehill last June but he was tipped out after unplaced runs in the G1 Golden Rose and G2 Gloaming Stakes. King Sabeel hails from the family of champion galloper Naturalism (Palace Music) and he also races for a partnership that includes Rogie and Whitby.
Savabeel’s leading earner to date is the Mick Kent trained filly My Emotion. She won the G2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic last month but was unplaced in the G1 SAJC Australasian Oaks last Saturday.
My Emotion (2f Savabeel – Midnight Rock by Rory’s Jester) sold for $230,000 at the 2007 Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling sale. Kent has nominated her for the G1 AJC Oaks at Randwick on April 17.
Savabeel stood for a NZ$20,000 (+ gst), at Waikato Stud last year when his book was capped at 130 mares.