Familial ties prove strong attraction in desire for Savabeel filly
A steady start to the action on day three of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale took a sharp upward turn when the Savabeel filly from an unraced O’Reilly mare made her way into the auction ring from the Waikato Stud draft.
Consigned as Lot 362, the showy brown filly strode her way around the auditorium without turning a hair as the bidding action raged around her.
That theatre was completed when Byerley Park trainer Peter Williams’ bid of $525,000 secured the filly on behalf of Sarah Green and Ger Beemsterboer of Barneswood Farm.
Williams and wife Dawn have enjoyed tremendous success with Barneswood Farm-owned gallopers such as Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) winners Planet Rock and Media Sensation.
He was quick to note that a strong familial association with the filly’s extended pedigree had played a significant role in his purchase decision.
“I saw her on Sunday and she’s an attractive filly,” Williams said. “She’s got a pedigree, is a lovely walker and a nice type.
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“I trained her grandmother (Iguazu) and her daughter (Iguazu’s Girl) and I’ve always wanted to associate with the family. They have all been nice horses.”
Williams prepared Iguazu for eleven of her 12 career victories, eight of those at stakes level, including the Group 3 Manawatu Classic (2000m) and Group 3 White Robe Lodge Handicap (1600m).
The Carolingian mare went on to a distinguished career in the breeding barn with progeny such as O’Reilly filly, Splashing Out who won at Group Three level in Australia before producing stakes performers Splurge, Packing Pins and Shopaholic.
Her first foal was two-race winner Iguazu’s Girl, the dam of four-time Group One winner Sacred Falls who is now forging a successful career as a stallion at Waikato Stud.
Barneswood Farm’s Sarah Green was excited to secure the filly which was added to their first purchase of the morning, Lot 331, a So You Think filly from the Jamieson Park draft bought for $220,000.
“We thought there would have been stiff competition for her, but we are happy with what we got her for,” she said.
“Peter does all the pre-inspections of the yearlings and goes around all the farms. He does that and then comes to the sale and has another look at them. He puts them on a shortlist and then we come and look at the sales and do the inspections ourselves.”
Green is hoping that the qualities of Waikato Stud’s champion stallion Savabeel will play out during the filly’s racetrack career.
“You are always hopeful that there will be something as good as Probabeel – she is a star, isn’t she,” she said.
“When we come to the sales, we always hope that Peter and Dawn will look at a horse and say, ‘this is the one for you’ and that is what we are guided by.”