Smooth as Silk

Beautifully bred Savasilk (3 f Savabeel - Silk Pins, by Pins) appeared on the verge of victory and duly obliged in the $12,000 NZB Pearl Series Maiden Fillies & Mares 1400 metres on 9 February at Ruakaka, while also collecting the $11,500 Pearl Series Bonus.

Second to fifth four times, having found one better when second to impressive winner Glory Bound (Tavistock) in a Maiden 3YO 1400 metres on 12 January at Matamata, Savasilk rated in the top three and scored in the exact style that won the previous race for Te Akau stable rider Opie Bosson aboard stable-mate Dancarina.

Working forward to sit outside the leader at the 800m, one could be forgiven for thinking of her waning, but instead Savasilk strode clear over the final furlong to win with real purpose.

Winning by one and a quarter lengths, Savasilk ran 1400 metres in 1:24.2 on Dead5 footing and paid $3.80 & $1.50 on NZ TAB tote.

“She didn't have things go her way last Wednesday at Te Rapa, when late scratched with blood on nose after an incident in the gates, but she had been racing consistently without breaking through,” said trainer Jamie Richards.

“She hasn't been the easiest to train, she's needed time to strengthen, but she did a really good job today.

“Opie was going to be caught wide middle stages, so he elected to push forward, which ended up in the right place to be and she found a good kick to win nicely.

“Dave (Ellis) bought her at Karaka, and she's a filly that's got a good pedigree. She's certainly grown into a lovely type, but just took a little while to put it all together.

“Hopefully, she can carry on, take confidence from the win, and she's open to further improvement.

“Like Dancarina, Savasilk is also stabled at the Uni Barn, so well done to everyone there.”

Owned by Brendan Lindsay MNZM & Jo Lindsay, she was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $360,000 at 2020 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from draft of Cambridge Stud. By NZ six-time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), she is from a Pins (Snippets) mare that finished second in the Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) and was Second Top Filly on the NZ 2YO Free Handicaps.

“She was a filly that had plenty of class, from a really talented mare, and it was hard to overlook her pedigree,” Ellis said.

“Silk Pins actually won on debut as a two-year-old when beating our Champion Two-Year-Old Warhorse (General Nediym), so that showed what a good filly she was and we kept an eye on her from then on.

“She was one of the standouts in the Cambridge draft that year, bred on the same Savabeel / Pins cross as our current Horse of the Year Probabeel (Savabeel) and it's a cross that has worked very well.

“I thought she won like a filly that can reach a higher grade. It would be fantastic to get some black type with her in the future, which would really strengthen her appeal for Brendan and Jo in the broodmare band at Cambridge Stud.

“We had such an amazing Karaka Million night with them, celebrating the first winner for their sire Almanzor, when Dynastic became our sixth consecutive Karaka Million 2YO winner. And I keep saying, they deserve all the success they get because they put so much into the New Zealand racing industry.”

Savasilk was strapped by Reece Trumper.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz