An Unexpected Win to Savour

The talented Savour the Moment (NZ) (Savabeel) returned to racing after a long spell to triumph in the Listed $50,000 Legacy Lodge Spring (1200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Savour the Moment (NZ) winning the Listed Legacy Lodge Spring at Te Rapa.

It was the six-year-old gelding’s first start since January of this year where he was unplaced in the Group 1 Thorndon Mile at Trentham for trainer Stephen Marsh and owners Go Racing.

On Saturday the son of Savabeel was ridden by apprentice jockey Alex Forbes who positioned the horse in second spot outside the leader over the 1200m sprint journey on a Good 3 track.

It was a solid pace set by fellow Karaka graduate Eight Shillings (NZ) (O’Reilly) and the pair skipped away from the field to fight out the race in the straight. Savour the Moment overpowered Eight Shillings over the final stages of the race to win by a long neck in slick time of 1.09.01.

“We were confident of running a really good race but they were running good times all day and we certainly didn’t expect him to win and run 1.09,” said Marsh.

“He has come up the best he has ever come up this time in. It was a really good effort and he sat up on him the last bit so the win was quite easy in the end.

“He won his maiden at 1200m and he has always needed a bit further so it was a surprise but we were very happy.

“He has raced down south this time of year in recent seasons then has come back but has had enough by January when the Thorndon Mile comes around. This time in we gave the South Island a miss and we are totally focusing on the Thorndon Mile.

“Go Racing is just getting bigger and they have some lovely horses. They are my biggest client so it is obviously good to get the big winners for them and Albert (Bosma) does a great job. They have a lot of nice horses and they will get a lot rewards.”

Carrying the colours of Go Racing, it was the sixth win in the career of Savour the Moment that came at the gelding’s 19th start and he has earned $117,050 for his owners, Go Racing with the Mistress Syndicate that is managed by Albert Bosma.

Bred by Garry Chittick of Waikato Stud, Savour the Moment is out of the unraced mare Dancing Mistress (Masterclass) who is the dam of three winners including the stakes placed Striptease (Danasinga).

Albert Bosma purchased the gelding for $37,500 at the 2009 Karaka Premier Sale from Waikato Stud.