Savaglee to target Group 1 Australian Guineas

[Wandering Eyes]

Autumn Australian targets are in the offing for Group One winner Savaglee. Photo: Race Images South

Star colt Savaglee will be given the opportunity to maximise his stallion potential on Australian soil in the autumn and will take his first steps toward that goal on his home track.

The Pam Gerard-trained son of Savabeel enjoyed time out at owner Dick Karreman’s The Oaks Stud following his Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) heroics and will be ready to trial at Matamata on Friday week.

“He had two weeks back here and he’s back in the stable now,” The Oaks General Manager Rick Williams said.

“There are two trials before the races at Matamata over 1100m for Group and Listed horses and he’ll be in one of those for sure. All the reports on him are very positive.”

Safely through his upcoming hit-out, a Trentham restart next month is on the cards for the six-time winner.

“He could kick off in the Levin Classic (Group 2, 1400m) on January 11 and then we’ve got a whole lot of different choices to make,” Williams said.

“It’s one step at a time and whether we go two weeks later for the Karaka Million (1600m) or wait and take on the older horses in the weight-for-age race (Group 1 BCD Group Sprint, 1400m), we’ll just wait and see how he’s doing.

“The Levin Classic is only a Group Two now, but it’s set weights, so he’s not penalised against his own age, that’s the attraction.”

Savaglee has already been the subject of overseas interest, but the focus is solely on a crack at the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington

“Dick turned down a big offer and he’s very keen to roll the dice a bit further with this horse, so the plan is to go and race him until the Guineas,” Williams said.

“At this stage, the horse is on an upward spiral and with each race he seems to get better so we’re in no hurry to retire him, but with stallion prospects it’s a race-by-race proposition.”

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