One of three unraced runners in the field of six contesting Sandown’s opening race, the Sportsbet Jockey Watch Handicap (1300m), it was the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained Savabeel filly Savannah Chill (NZ) who came out on top on the Lakeside track.
Closely related to Chris Waller’s unbeaten Super Seth filly Frosty Girl – another recent One To Watch, the Daniel Stackhouse ridden Savannah Chill settled in fourth on the outside of the Yulong owned Imzada (Alamaba Express), while I Am Invincible’s first starter Celestra took up the running as the race favourite.
Maintaining the same formation for most of the race, the 2yo fillly Savannah Chill was one of the first to set out after the leading duo before the home turn was reached.
Coming three wide into the straight, Savannah Chill was still chasing strongly as Too Much Too Soon (Too Darn Hot) took the lead from Celestra, before Stackhouse asked for an effort from his filly where she hit the lead with 50m to run.
Putting the whip away before the line was reached, the win had plenty of merit with the daughter of Savabeel bred to appreciate further, being a full-sister to Hawkesbury’s Listed Rowley Mile winner Savacool, herself a winner up to 1800m.
Purchased by Lindsay Park from the Waikato Stud draft from Book 1 of the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock yearling sale for $100,000, Savannah Chill is the eighth individual winner from nine to race from the Anabaa mare Chilled Out.
Chilled Out is an unraced half-sister to Listed-winning, Group 1 placed The Big Chill (O’Reilly) and to the dam of Savabeel’s dual Group 2 winner Coldplay.
Savannah Chill’s dam produced a full-sister to the debut winner the following season, then unfortunately missed to Savabeel’s Group 1 winner Noverre, but is now in foal to the very same sire and is due in the spring.
A multiple Champion Sire in New Zealand, Cox Plate winner Savabeel is the sire of 151 stakes winners highlighted by 35 individual Group 1 winners and will stand the upcoming breeding season for NZ $100,000 (plus GST) at Waikato Stud.
