Savabeel inducted into Hall of Fame
Multiple champion sire Savabeel (Zabeel) is set to be inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame for his contributions to the New Zealand racing and stud industries.
The Waikato Stud resident, who completed his 20th season at stud late last year, will join his sire Zabeel and grandsire Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor) in receiving the honour.
The now 23-year-old had great success on the track, highlighted by victories in the 2004 Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) at The Valley and in the Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Randwick three weeks earlier.
The son of New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Savannah Success (Success Express) was syndicated for a sum of $10 million upon his retirement and began his stud duties at an introductory fee of $35,000 – an investment more than vindicated, with Savabeel going on to become the dominant New Zealand stallion of the 21st century.
Savabeel secured his first Group 1 winner with first-crop filly Scarlett Lady in the 2011 Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) and has enjoyed continued success, with his Group 1-winning three-year-old son Savaglee recording another easy win in the Levin Classic (Gr 2, 1400m) at Trentham last Saturday. Less than an hour later, his five-year-old daughter Provence became his 35th Group 1 winner with her victory in the Thorndon Mile (Gr 1, 1600m).
Up until Savabeel’s 2022 crop comprising a total of 1752 foals, 1348 have raced and 988 are the winners to date of 3118 races. Of those, 148 are stakes winners, 99 are Group winners and his 35 Group 1 winners have won a total of 58 races at that level between them.
“He’s ticking over at around a dozen stakes winners per season, so with decent numbers still coming through there’s a good chance he can break Zabeel’s record for individual stakes winners,” Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick said.
“However you measure his achievements, Savabeel has done a phenomenal job for us and everyone who has supported him – for the whole breeding industry in fact, it would be fair to say.
“He can throw horses that win at all ages and at such a range of distances.
“With devoted stallion grooms like Dave O’Leary and now Ryan Figgins caring for him over the years, he’s had an ideal existence, which includes keeping in trim on the treadmill we put in specially for him when he was about 17 years old.
“Sons of his like Cool Aza Beel and Embellish have taken no time to prove themselves at stud and our young horse by him, Noverre, has kicked off with some excellent results just last week at the Magic Millions.
“No two ways about it, he’s a legend – that will be his legacy.”
The 2025 induction dinner takes place at Hamilton on May 11.