WINNER: Cool, Calm, Collected Centurial

Patiently ridden, Centurial (4 g Savabeel – Purcentage, by Onemorenomore) resumed with victory in the $18,500 Saddlery Warehouse Maiden 970 metres on 30 September at Cambridge.

Having displayed ability and raced well during the first campaign, Centurial had finished strongly near the rail to win a trial on 8 September at Rotorua, after being allowed to his find feet at the rear, and leading jockey Michael McNab adopted similar tactics on race day.

Drawn barrier seven of eight aboard Centurial, McNab dropped him out to last, was six lengths astern at the 600m, improved between runners nearing the home turn with plenty in the tank, and quickened powerfully in the centre track to win.

It was a timely victory by Centurial, a big framed gelding by 10-time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel) that placed in two of five starts as a three-year-old, and signalled his readiness to prove competitive up in grades.

“He looked like he had good ability, going back through his replays, and I thought with the speed, ride him quiet and he’d be able to get over the top,” McNab said.

“It was a busy race, a couple of green horses in there, but bided my time and he obliged late.”

Race favourite from the outset, Centurial ran 970 metres on the poly-track in 56.0 and paid $1.90 to win on the NZ TAB tote.

On course, assistant trainer Reece Trumper said: “It was a very good effort and a nice ride by Michael (McNab).

“He’s been a horse we’ve liked from day one, had a few immaturity issues, but now he’s been given time to strengthen and develop he’s putting it together.

“He’s probably a 1200/1400-metre sort of horse, but ride him quietly, let it unfold, and he’s got a sharp sprint on him. 

“It was a good effort, today, and he’ll improve off that.”

Mark Walker, training partner with Sam Bergerson, added: “That’s the way to ride him and Michael (McNab) got it dead right by letting the competitive early speed go.

“He watched it unfold, got a lovely run through them and even though he won by a short margin (neck), he had them covered a long way from home. 

“The win should give him confidence. He’s always had good galloping ability and now that he’s been gelded, he’s developing into a nice racehorse.”

Owned by the Te Akau Purrfection Racing Partnership (Mgr: Lady Karyn Ellis MNZM), Centurial was purchased by Sir David Ellis for A$300,000 at the 2024 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, from the draft of The Chase Farm.

Ellis has established the most successful record buying progeny by the 10-time Champion Sire Savabeel, who passed in June this year, aged 24, and who was recently acknowledged with the NZTR Award for Outstanding Global Achievement.

Among Sir David's Savabeel purchases have been eight Group One winners, with 29 stakes' wins, including a dual New Zealand Horse of the Year, the first NZB Kiwi winner, and three colts who are now standing at stud themselves.

Centurial is the fourth individual winner out of stakes placed winner Purcentage (Onemorenomore), and a half-brother to outstanding $2.2 million earner Revolutionary Miss (Russian Revolution), a triple Group Two and Group Three winner to 1600 metres, who was twice Group One placed, and also four-time winner, and stakes' placed Equation (Press Statement).  

His grand-dam Spurcent, by Golden Slipper winner Flying Spur (Danehill), was fast enough to win the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m) as a two-year-old while also finishing third in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and left eight individual winners of 33 races. 

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “He is very similar in type to what has attracted us in the good Savabeel colts we’ve bought over the years. 

“He’s got beautiful balance, moves effortlessly, and has a really good pedigree which continues to keep improving, going back to the great Waikato Stud stallion Centaine as sire of his third dam.”

Centurial was strapped by Stephanie Olney.

Photo credit - Kenton Wright - www.raceimages.co.nz