A Fine (Wine) Win

Owner-breeders Bill and Jim Gartshore made a worthwhile trip to the races on 7 December at Matamata, when Savy Yong Blonk (3 f Savabeel - Ampin, by Pins) obliged at her second race day start in the $10,000 Hilda Tallot Maiden 1400 metres.

Closer assessment of the debut run at New Plymouth, where she slipped at the start and was short of room in a very competitive 34.8 for the last 600m, should have seen her tighter in betting than the $11.00 & $3.20 offered on fixed odds by the NZ TAB. In addition, race winner Espresso Martini (High Chaparral) went on to win the Trevor Eagle Memorial (Listed, 1500m) last Saturday at Ellerslie.

Continuing his fine form in the saddle after winning the first two Group One races of the season aboard stable-mate Melody Belle (Commands), Shafiq gave the filly a perfect ride. Away well from barrier seven to settle three back on the inner, given a genuine pace, she strode into the clear on straightening and sustained a strong finishing burst to win well.

“She jumped out well and was able to be around midfield on the rail, and when she saw daylight in the straight she kept fighting really hard to the line,” Shafiq said.

In the race before a track upgrade to Slow7, Savy Yong Blonk ran the 1400 metres in 1:25.1 and last 600m in 37.4.

“She didn't have a lot of luck at New Plymouth, but learnt plenty from the experience,” said trainer Jamie Richards. “These Savabeel fillies keep improving; she's got a lovely pedigree and can go on with it.

“They're only three-year-olds once and you've got to give them an opportunity at stakes class pretty quickly, but whether she's seen at Ellerslie (Christmas/New Year), or later in January, we'll make our minds up in the next couple of weeks.

“It's a big thrill to train a winner for Bill and Jim Gartshore. They're good supporters of the game and they've got a lovely filly, here.”

“It's tremendous to get the support of breeders like Bill and Jim (Gartshore) and I'm thrilled for them,” said Te Akau principal David Ellis. “They're top blokes, very successful in business, and to breed and race the filly is a real feather in their cap. They bought the grand-dam, Ambitious, after she'd had a few foals and going to stallions like Pins and Savabeel has made this filly very valuable because she's from a great family.”

The first foal from unraced mare Ampin, her grand-dam Ambitious (Last Tycoon) was runner-up in the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) before leaving seven individual winners of 22 races, and third dam, Starcent (Centaine), was Joint Third Top Filly in her three-year-old season.

“We're rapt with that, especially after being knocked around at her first start - nothing went right” said Jim Gartshore. “She did everything right today and thanks to Jamie (Richards) and his staff.

“We got involved in horses about ten years ago through Garry Chittick at Waikato Stud, who gave us some good advice. He told us that it's a great game, but best played slowly, so we've been patient and we're enjoying it. And Mark (Chittick) got us into Ambitious, so it's a great result.”

Savy Yong Blonk was strapped by Simon Buckley.