Derserved Group 1 Victory for Diademe

7 April 2015

Consistent mare Diademe (NZ) (Savabeel) claimed a deserved Group 1 victory in the $200,000 Fibre Fresh NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes Group 1 1600(m) at Te Aroha on Saturday.

Diademe 04.04.15 TDunell TBBreedersSt

Diademe (NZ) races to victory in the Group 1 Fibre Fresh NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.
Photo courtesy of Trish Dunell.

Boosting her pedigree with a maiden Group 1 win, Diademe was one of two Group 1 winners from Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman’s stable this weekend as stablemate Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor) won the Group 1 Australian Derby held at Randwick yesterday. To view the article, click here.

Setting a new track record at Te Aroha, Diademe ran the 1600m race in a time of 1.33.46, breaking the previous record which was set by Waikiki (NZ) (Crested Wave) in 1990 running a time of 1.33.70.

The Savabeel mare has four stakes wins to her name, including the Group 2 Cal Isuzu Stakes and is twice the winner of the Group 3 Westbury Classic, as a four-year-old and six-year-old. Beginning her racing career as a late three-year-old, Diademe is a seasoned stakes performer winning a total of seven races and placing in a further eight races, five of these at stakes level.

“We are very thrilled with her win,” commented Forsman. “It was great for the owner Scott Richardson who has supported our stable and put a lot into it.

“She probably only has a handful of runs left in her career and it was just a massive buzz to get the Group 1 win with her as she is a Group 1 quality mare.

“At this stage it is looking likely she will fly on Wednesday night to Sydney to run in the Queen of the Turf.”

Taking his first ride on Diademe, Jonathan Riddell was one of the first away in Te Aroha’s feature race from barrier 6. Settling to race three wide, Diademe took her place alongside front runners Moozoon (NZ) (Perfectly Ready) and Arrow In The Sand (NZ) (Fast’N’Famous) who followed the rail.

Homeward bound Diademe ranged to the lead but looking to challenge her in the late stages of the race was stablemate Sports Illustrated (NZ) (Fast’N’Famous). Diademe was a touch too strong as she raced over the line by a neck from Sports Illustrated, who finished in second place, and Abidewithme (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) finishing in third place.

Owned by Scott Richardson Bloodstock Ltd, Diademe has earned $415,521 to date.

The six-year-old daughter of Savabeel was purchased at the 2010 Karaka Premier Sale for $50,000 by Scott Richardson Bloodstock from Waikato Stud.

New Zealand’s leading sire Savabeel has now produced eight Group 1 winners from a total of 39 individual stakes winners since commencing stud duties in 2005 at Waikato Stud.

Bred by Garry Chittick of Waikato Stud, Diademe is out of unraced mare Bling (O’Reilly) and is a half-sister to Roop All (Pins), runner-up in the Listed Lexus Hybrid Plate. Her dam, Bling, is a full-sister to the dam of Sacred Star (Flying Spur), winner of the Group 1 Waikato Sprint, and a half-sister to stakes winner Plaudits (Danasinga), winner of the Listed Eagle Farm Stakes.