The New Zealand thoroughbred industry lost one of its all-time greats last month with the death of Savabeel, but the legendary Waikato Stud stallion’s influence is a long way from over – and the National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus gives buyers an opportunity to get involved.
A select final crop of Savabeel foals will be born in the upcoming spring, and among that small group of mares in foal to the 10-time champion New Zealand sire are two mares in the National Online Breeding Stock Sale catalogue.
Both offered by Milan Park, the two mares in foal to Savabeel are Real Divine (NZ) (Real Steel) and Vitani (NZ) (Pins).
“As we know, Savabeel sadly passed away recently, and there are only a limited number of mares in foal to him this season,” Milan Park stud manager Grant Bennett commented. “So the two mares that we’re selling are quite a rare opportunity to be involved with one last crop of Savabeel foals.”
Offered as Lot 65, Real Divine is a half-sister to stakes performers Whakamana (NZ) (Sacred Falls) and Divine Sava (NZ) (Savabeel) and closely related to Group One winner Adventador (NZ) (Fast ‘N’ Famous).
Vitani is catalogued as Lot 90 and is out of a half-sister to multiple Group One winner Lion Tamer (NZ) (Storming Home) and closely related to the multiple black-type winner Mr Maestro (NZ) (Savabeel).
Savabeel is also becoming an increasingly influential broodmare sire, with his daughters producing 46 stakes winners and nine Group One winners so far including this season’s Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and Rosehill Guineas (2000m) hero Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun).
The National Online Breeding Stock Sale features no fewer than seven well-related daughters of the Hall of Fame stallion.
- Lot 7 is the winning mare Belle Du Sud (NZ), a full-sister to the multiple stakes placegetter Sacred Croix (NZ) (Savabeel). Their dam Croix Du Sud (NZ) (Howbaddouwantit) also placed at black-type level and is a full-sister to the Group One-placed Howmuchyacharging (NZ) (Howbaddouwantit).
- Belle Du Sud is already the dam of the two-race winner Skaw Valley (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) and is in foal to Profondo.
- Catalogued as Lot 37, the winner Hi Gorgeous (NZ) is a daughter of Group One winner Calveen (NZ) (Canny Lad). Carrying on from her own top-flight racetrack heroics, Calveen has produced six winners from seven foals to race including Listed winner Francee (NZ) (Iffraaj) and the Group Three-placed Miss Delveen (Encosta de Lago). Hi Gorgeous has herself produced three foals to race, all winners, and she is in foal to Hello Youmzain.
- Lot 51 is Miss Martini (NZ), who won twice in a short racing career. She is out of a half-sister to the dam of Group One winner Chenille (NZ) and Group Two winner and Group One placegetter Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel). The latter is the dam of Group Two winner Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt), while the pedigree page also features the Gr.1 Winx Stakes (1400m) and Rosehill Guineas (2000m) winner Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel). Miss Martini is in foal to Super Seth.
- O’Dahlia (NZ), who is catalogued as Lot 53, comes from the top-class Waikato Stud family made famous by the great Starcraft (NZ) (Soviet Star). O’Dahlia herself was a placegetter from a handful of starts on the racetrack and has produced two named foals, both winners. O’Dahlia is in foal to Redwood.
- Lot 70 is the winning mare Savanite (NZ), who is already a black-type producer. Her son Saltcoats (NZ) (Ardrossan) has earned over $500,000 across both sides of the Tasman, including Listed victories in the Wyong Cup (2100m) and Auckland Futurity Stakes (1400m). The dam of three winners overall, Savanite is a half-sister to the Gr.2 Waikato Gold Cup (2400m) winner Singing Star (NZ) (Danasinga), who is dam and granddam of stakes performers Miss Selby (NZ) (O’Reilly) and Lowe Flying (NZ) (Tivaci). Another half-sister, Yeah Nah (NZ) (Kinjite), is the dam of triple Group One winner Viadana (NZ) (Towkay) and Listed winner Indecision (NZ) (Per Incanto). Savanite is in foal to Redwood.
- Lot 81 is the three-race winner Tantalising (NZ), whose high-class daughter Paltrow Miss (NZ) (Circus Maximus) collected Group One placings in this season’s Australasian Oaks (2000m) and Queensland Oaks (2200m)
- Tantalising is the dam of two foals to race, both winners. The oldest of her progeny, The Big Wheel (NZ) (War Decree), is a three-time winner in Australia.
- Rounding out this contingent of Savabeel mares in the National Online Breeding Stock Sale catalogue is Lot 92, the black-type performer Yatima (NZ). She finished second in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m) and third in the Listed Kaimai Stakes (2000m) and Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m). She is a half-sister to the dam of the outstanding Malaysian 12-race winner Antipodean (NZ) (Derryn) and closely related to Group performers Robusto (NZ) (Zed) and Bobby Dee (NZ) (Zed). Yatima is in foal to the exciting young stallion Sword Of State.
The catalogue for the 2026 National Online Breeding Stock Sale is now available to view online on Gavelhouse Plus.
Bidding opens at 10am (NZT) on Friday 3 July and closes from 6pm (NZT) on Wednesday 8 July.
