Acer (NZ) Opens Winning Account in Style

Well-related filly Acer (NZ) (Savabeel) chose a big moment to pick up her first raceday victory, securing valuable black-type in the $80,000 Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth on Saturday. 

Acer is the 155th individual stakes winner for her champion sire Savabeel, while her dam Sweet Treat (NZ) (Ekraar) was herself a winner at Listed level. Breeders Monovale Holdings retained Acer after she was passed in at Karaka 2024, and she has now earned $51,685 from her eight-race career.

Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have always had a good opinion of Acer, and she showed promise with three fourth placings before finishing 3.6 lengths from the winner when ninth in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie on January 11.

She broke through in style on Saturday as jockey Erin Leighton drove her through on the inside of the front-running She Suits Herself (NZ) (Savile Row) coming down the side of the track.

Acer took command with a strong kick, then fought for all she was worth when She Suits Herself tried to claw her way back up alongside her down the straight. When they reached the finish line, Acer was still a short head in front. The third placegetter was another four and a quarter lengths behind the first pair.

“I was really confident she had that residual fitness under her belt today and her mum was a swimmer, so she had the breeding on her side to get through the track,” Leighton said.

“Wexford knew what they were sending down as they looked at the forecast yesterday and told me she had water wings, so I was really confident.

“I was advised to go forward, but if you look at the start she completely spreadeagled and we were about two feet from the ground.

“She picked herself up and we went to Plan B, which saw us get a prefect rails run. When she poked through on the inside, she was tough enough to hold them all out.”

Acer provided yet another reminder of the prowess of Savabeel, who will be represented by 35 yearlings in Book 1 of Karaka 2026 on Sunday and Monday. Selling begins at 10am on each of those two days.