Class filly Duchess Kate underlined why her sire Savabeel was in such high demand at Karaka last week when she triumphed in the G3 Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham on Saturday.
Duchess Kate (Savabeel x Royal Prize by Prized) became the 47th stakes winner for the champion NZ sire, another reason why he had 45 lots sell at last week’s New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale for a total of $NZ11,545,000 and at an average of $NZ256,556 and a top price of $NZ775,000 for ar brother to G1 winner Diademe.
Savabeel also topped the Select Sale averages with nine horses sold at an average of $NZ101,667.Duchess Kate’s win in the sixth leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series adds to the great record of Savabeel fillies in Group events.
Seven of Savabeel’s 10 G1 winners are females and include two Oaks winners, Scarlett Lady and Savaria.Duchess Kate could be Savabeel’s next classic winner as she is set for the G1 New Zealand Oaks in March.
Duchess Kate made her debut in April last year and has blossomed this season with wins at three of her last five starts including a victory over the highly rated Hiflyer at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.On Saturday, the Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards trained filly took the lead early in the home straight and dug deep over the final stages to win by a long neck over Bella Court (Per Incanto) with Strada Cavallo (Alamosa) third.
“We’ve known for a while she’s special,” commented Autridge. “She’s been very tough to handle but we have looked after her, it’s taken us six months to get her right.“She will now head to the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic at Te Rapa in a fortnight.
“She’s now a contender for the NZB Filly of the Year Series and for a breeder that’s a big plus.“She holds a nomination for the New Zealand Oaks. If something happens and she doesn’t run in the New Zealand Oaks, I have Queensland at the back of my mind.”
Bred and raced by Sydney based owner Max Whitby, Duchess Kate is out of Royal Prize, making her a full sister to Saavoya, winner of last season’s G2 Eight Carat Stakes and G2 Royal Stakes and runner-up last year’s NZB Filly of the Year Series.Duchess Kate’s second dam is the G1 Avondale Cup winner Eva Grace (Vice Regal), the dam of seven winners including the stakes-placed Dancing Away (Danzatore) and Centeva (Centaine).
Duchess Kate is now equal fifth on the NZB Filly of the Year Series ladder with only four races remaining.NZ 1000 Guineas winner Risque (Darci Brahma) leads the series with 12 points.
Strada Cavallo earned 1.5 points for her third placing on Saturday, taking her total to 8.5 points. There is a tie for third place with Capella (Rip Van Winkle) and Sofia Rosa (Makfi) on 8 points each.Bella Court is the new leader of the Wellfield Triple Crown Series following her second placing. She also finished second in the G3 Eulogy Stakes, which was the first leg of the Series.
The final race of the Wellfield Triple Crown and the Filly of the Year Series is the G1 New Zealand Oaks on March 19 at Trentham.