Another Top Filly for Savabeel

The lightly tried filly Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel) claimed an impressive stakes victory at just her third start as she landed the Group 3 $70,000 Ekraar @ Linwood Park Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Otaki on Friday’s premier race meeting.

Lucia Valentina (NZ) winning the Group 3 Ekraar @ Linwood Park Wellington Stakes at Otaki.

The win by Lucia Valentina was the start of a rewarding weekend for her sire Savabeel as the Waikato Stud-based sire claimed further stakes glory through another daughter, Lady Kipling (NZ) (Savabeel), who prevailed in the Group 3 Eagle Technology Stakes on Saturday. Savabeel’s season tally of stakes winners climbed to seven in New Zealand and Australia.

Trained in Cambridge by Stephen Marsh, the filly entered the race with two starts under her belt, a comprehensive winner on debut before running a desperately unlucky sixth at her second start.

The daughter of Savabeel had a slow start from the inside barrier draw in the 11-horse field for leading jockey Leith Innes and settled worse than mid-field in the early running.

As the field entered the straight, Innes was able to get to the outside of the Dead 5 track at Otaki and Lucia Valentina produced a devastating sprint to rein in the leaders over the concluding stages and win by a long neck.

It was a particularly good day for Stephen Marsh as he also trained Barbaric (NZ) (Pins) to win the other feature black-type race on the program at Otaki.

“We were very confident before the race,” stated Marsh. “She had the two starts and probably should be unbeaten.

“Her second start was huge, she ran sixth but got checked several times, she was probably a good thing beaten to be honest. She is a pretty classy filly, the way she won first up you don’t see that very often.

 “She was meant to go straight to Australia, she actually wasn’t meant to start here but the owners decided to give her a run in New Zealand. She will go both days at Auckland’s Christmas Carnival in the Eight Carat Classic and the Royal Stakes before heading to Australia for the autumn.

“Unfortunately she doesn’t stay for the Oaks but we get a crack at a couple of Group 2s. The Oaks in Sydney has gone to $1 million which is big reason why she will go over there. I think the step up in distance will suit her, she will appreciate it a lot more than a mile.

“Savabeels’ are as good as you can get, they are winning a lot of the good races and a good Savabeel is usually really good, I need more of them in the stable!”

Friday’s feature win takes Lucia Valentina’s career earnings to an even $45,000 for her owners JML Bloodstock Ltd (Mgr L Petagna). She was purchased by Bruce Perry Bloodstock for $60,000 at the 2012 Karaka Premier Sale from Blandford Lodge.

Bred by Mrs H G & W G Bax, Lucia Valentina is out of Montjeu mare Staryn Glenn, the dam of two foals to race now with the other being the Group 3 Manawatu Classic winner Malandrino (Darci Brahma).

Savabeel will be represented by 87 yearlings at the upcoming New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series with 47 Lots entered in the Premier Sale and 40 Lots catalogued in the Select Sale. Catalogues are available online now for Karaka 2014 with catalogues hitting letterboxes this week. To order a catalogue, please contact [email protected].