Group 3 Honours to Savy Yong Blonk

Boasting the best form and backed accordingly ($1.80), Savy Yong Blonk (5 m Savabeel - Ampin, by Pins) continued her tremendous form with an impressive victory in the $70,000 Japac Homes Manawatu Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 3, 2000m) on 9 April at Awapuni.

In a highly competitive affair, run at genuine speed, Savy Yong Blonk utilised barrier one to secure a handy position and rider Danielle Johnson worked off the rail to avoid being shuffled at the 1000 metres. From there, as Mohaka applied pressure, Savy Yong Blonk cruised up rounding the home turn and sprinted clear a furlong out to win by three lengths.

“She's a class above them, charge your glass, Savy Yong Blonk is too good,” said commentator Tony Lee, as she crossed the line.

“Class horse and she's done it with ease. It was gorgeous ride, from top of the table Danielle (Johnson). She had her in the right position, with a few wanting to be up and around them, but she bided her time in behind them with an economical run. Then on the point of the corner, on the short course today, went up to Mohaka, got the lead and goodnight nurse from that point.”

Given the tempo, in 2:02.2 for the 2000 metres, it was terrific performance after working near the pace throughout and it exemplified just how good she is.

Not often you can say that finishing eighth had plenty of merit, but when Savy Yong Blonk debuted there was enough evidence of a bright future. She duly sprang to prominence with consecutive impressive wins and proved up the best three-year-old fillies when fifth in the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (Gr. 2, 2000m), third in the Sunline Vase (Gr. 3, 2100m), and a notable fifth in the NZ Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m).

She progressed to finish second in the City of Auckland Cup (Gr. 3, 2400m), a race she won this year in January, after finishing runner-up in both the Counties Cup (Gr. 3, 2100m) and Waikato Cup (Gr. 3, 2400m), and she has now won seven races and $330,800 prize money for the Gartshore brothers, Bill & Jim, who bred her.

“It was a great win by a mare that has proved herself at stakes' level and is developing into a very good staying mare,” said champion trainer Jamie Richards.

“We scratched her from the Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr. 2, 2000m) on Easter Saturday because of the wet track, after consultation with her owners Bill and Jim Gartshore. They were happy to wait, with the prospect of improving weather and footing, and it's worked out really well.

“Our senior team member Sam Bergerson and his father Roydon have done a wonderful job with her during the week and she's been able to hold her form and do the job today.

“It was lovely ride by Danielle (Johnson) to seize the initiative when the opportunity presented and that helped in the winning of the race.”

Richards indicated that Savy Yong Blonk would now prepare for the $100,000 Travis Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) at the Cambridge Jockey Club meeting on Saturday 1 May at Te Rapa, a race Te Akau has won in recent years with Our Abbadean and Abidewithme.

“She will head to the Travis and should be awfully hard to beat,” he added.

Te Akau principal David Ellis said: “I'm thrilled for the Gartshore boys. They're great blokes who gave us the filly to train and as breeders, it's a massive result for them to gain another Group win.

“She's got a lot of class and I sent Danielle (Johnson) a text after the race saying what a great ride it was and that it should be shown at Apprentice School. It's incredible how well she rides the mare, right through.

“It was win number 142 for Jamie this season, one away from equalling the all time New Zealand record, and it's domestic black type number 34.

“Jamie's placing our horses beautifully, putting the right horses in the right races, and his strike rate of 4.7 is phenomenal when you consider how many times he's lined up multiple runners in a race.

“Also, the horses have earned over $5.5m in prize money ain New Zealand alone and his strike in stakes' races this season is better than one in four. It's quite unheard of.”

It was another good meeting for Richards, after winning a day earlier with No Limits (Savabeel) at Wanganui, to salute with two of his three runners on the programme at Awapuni.

Savy Yong Blonk was strapped by Sam Bergerson.

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