Savvy Coup (NZ) Defends South Island Horse of the Year Title

Karaka graduates enjoyed a big evening at Friday’s 2018/19 Christchurch Casino South Island Racing Awards at Riccarton, headed by a second Horse of the Year title for Savvy Coup (NZ) (Savabeel).

Bought for $65,000 at the 2016 Premier Sale, Savvy Coup burst to prominence in the 2017-18 season with five wins and more than $460,000 in stakes, headed by the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m). As well as earning her first South Island Horse of the Year title, the Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained runner was also New Zealand’s champion three-year-old of that season.

Savvy Coup continued in the same vein into the spring of 2018-19, winning the Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) and finishing second in the Group 1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m). She also travelled to Melbourne and contested the prestigious Cox Plate (2040m).

With six wins and $649,000 in stakes to her name, Savvy Coup has earned almost 10 times her purchase price for the Bruford and Coupland families. Her racetrack heroics were honoured on Friday with a second Horse of the Year trophy, along with the title of Champion Stayer.

Champion Two-Year-Old was Miss Federer (NZ) (Swiss Ace). The $10,000 Book 2 purchase won three of her five starts last season including the Group 3 Woburn Farm 2YO Classic (1200m) and the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m). The Andrew Carston-trained filly earned $88,410, almost nine times her purchase price.

$55,000 Select Sale purchase Emily Margaret (NZ) (Pins) was Champion Three-Year-Old and New Zealand Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year. Trained by Kevin and Pam Hughes, she earned $157,375 in a season headed by victories in the Group 2 Wellington Guineas (1400m), Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) and Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m).

Champion Miler was Boots ‘N’ All (NZ) (Perfectly Ready), whose 2018-19 season featured a win in the Listed Timaru Cup (1600m) and placings in the Group 2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) and the Group 3 White Robe Lodge (1600m).

Breeders Bruce Sheat and Cheryl Wilson had tried to sell Boots ‘N’ All at the 2014 South Island Sale with a reserve of only $5,000, but he was passed in. Sent to the stable of Lance Robinson, he ended up winning them more than $280,000 in prize-money before sadly suffering a fatal reaction to an antibiotic in April.