Two Matamata Wins - Scrutinize

Scrutinize (2 c Savabeel - Legs, by Pins), a lovely colt, made an invaluable start to his racing career with a burst of acceleration that saw him grab victory in the last stride on April 1 at Matamata.

Drawn barrier one in the Maiden 2YO 1200 metres, with premiership leader and Te Akau stable rider Matt Cameron aboard, Scrutinize was off the bridle chasing a fast early pace before laying up in fourth on the rail at the 700m. He travelled into the bridle rounding the home turn, gained a split two off the fence at the 250m and charged home to win by a head.

Having already had good fortune in buying the stakes' winning four-year-old Wolfwhistle (O'Reilly), a half-brother with five victories from eleven starts, Te Akau principal David Ellis went back to the well to secure Scrutinize as a yearling from the draft of Waikato Stud at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale for $200,000 and in turn syndicated the horse to the Te Akau Scrutinize Syndicate.

“He was a yearling at the sale that Mark Walker and I decided that we really wanted,” said Ellis. “We knew how good the mother [Legs] was and what a great sire Savabeel is. He was one of the most athletic types of horses you'd ever see. The reason why he only made $200,000 was that at the sales he was still a little immature, and while I could see he had a lot of developing to do I could also visualise that he would finish up being a really smart three-year-old, and to have him win today is a real bonus.

“We rode him to really be finding the line. Matt (Cameron) did exactly as we planne and we were using today as his first step towards the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) in November at Riccarton,” said Ellis.

At the time of his purchase at Karaka, Ellis had said: “He is a well put together colt with the scope and pedigree to develop into a real Guineas' and Derby prospect. Savabeel (Zabeel) is a source of staying horses, being out of an Oaks' winner in Savannah Success (Success Express) and this colt certainly has the looks to match his pedigree.

Ellis went again at the sale this year, buying a Savabeel (Zabeel) yearling filly from Lego (O'Reilly), a dual race winner out of Legs, for $200,000.

A classy individual with a superb temperament, Scrutinize made his debut after quickening appreciably for an impressive trial win over 800 metres on February 24 at Matamata. And more recently, without room, he finished full of running in third on March 10 in a 1000-metre trial at Rotorua.

Garry Chittick, having handed over the reins of Waikato Stud to his son Mark, purchased a share in Scrutinize following his sale. “It was a lovely win,” said Chittick. “I think the two two-year-olds he gave a bit of a start are certainly not slugs and he won it like a more experienced horse. It was a extremely good run and I'm very pleased with the outcome.

“Mark sold him and I'm very pleased to have bought back into him,” said Chittick. “I thought he was a medium-sized yearling and I'm delighted with the way he has developed.”

His dam Legs (Pins - River Century, by Centaine) was Joint top filly on the 2005-06 NZ 3YO Free Handicaps. Legs recorded Group One wins in the New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m), also won the Eulogy Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) and finished second in the Desert Gold Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) in a career of five wins from twelve starts, and stakes of $875,428.

Post race, Te Akau trainer Jason Bridgman said: “He's a really smart colt and we've had a good opinion of him on what he's done so far and although bred to be more of a three-year-old he showed today that he's a real talent in the making.

“He had a really nice educational trial at Rotorua, weaving through horses and he's just a bombproof sort of horse and he does everything right. Matt (Cameron) did the right thing by letting him find his feet and he showed that turn of foot to get over them.

“More than likely we will put him aside now and he certainly has the pedigree behind him to stretch out next season and certainly looks a logical Guineas prospect at this point,” said Bridgman.

Matt Cameron said: “He's a good horse and he's bred to be and the family has been pretty good. They hummed into the first corner and after getting off them I tracked up on the inside, came off their back, and he was too good. Not many horses can do that at their first start and being a colt too, they can tend to do a few things wrong, but he is naturally pretty good and he attacked the line. He relaxed, his manners are beautiful and he's definitely going to see a trip out.”

Picture credit - www.raceimages.co.nz