Savaria Thriving Ahead Of Australian Oaks

Savaria has been backed into 2015 Australian Oaks odds of $8 and trainer Roydon Bergerson is confident that the New Zealand Oaks winner is good enough to complete a Trans-Tasman Oaks double in the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick this weekend.

James McDonald has been booked to ride Savaria in the 2015 Australian Oaks at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

James McDonald has been booked to ride Savaria in the 2015 Australian Oaks at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Savaria was not originally included in the nominations for the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m), but connections opted to pay the late entry fee to get the filly into the field for the $1 million event after she stamped herself as the best staying filly in New Zealand with wins in the Group 3 Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings on February 28 and the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 14.

Bergerson admits that Savaria will face the toughest test of her career to date in the 2015 Australian Oaks, but the Palmerston North-based trainer told The New Zealand Racing Desk than he believes the Savabeel’s proven ability over 2400 metres and her ability run impressive closing sectionals may give her an edge in the Group 1 event.

“When she dead-heated the Lowland Stakes at Hastings, she ran home her last 600m in 33.2 seconds and if she can reel off those sort of sectionals this weekend, they will have to be pretty good to beat her,” Bergerson said.

“Sure, I’d love to win but we’re taking on some pretty good ones and it’s not going to be easy.

“She’s the only one who has won past 2000m and her sectionals have been as good as any of them over here and we’re happy with her.”

Savaria arrived in Australia overnight and she did a light piece of work with James McDonald, who will ride her in the Australian Oaks, in the saddle this morning.

Bergerson said that he has been happy with the way that Savaria has settled into her new environment in Sydney and he believes that he could not have the three-year-old much fitter heading into the Australian Oaks.

“She travelled well and she was bright as a button this morning,” Bergerson said.

“James came and rode her this morning and he was pretty happy with her.

“She just had a quiet trot and canter, but James was pleased with what he saw.

“We’d done a lot of work with her before she flew over and it’s a long way to come so we had to be happy with her.

“Probably her work leading into this one is even better than it was going into the Oaks at home.”

Savaria is currently available at 2015 Australian Oaks odds of $8 with Ladbrokes, while Winx ($4.20) remains a narrow favourite from Fenway ($6), Thunder Lady ($6.50) and Ballet Suite ($7.50).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.