The James Cummings trained Savatiano maintained her good first up form with a narrow win in the Group 2 $200,000 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield today.

Savatiano, above, scored a first up win in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.

Before today Savatiano had won four of her seven first up attempts and the Godolphin stable was very confident that she would be hard to beat at weight for age today.

Savatinao was sent out as the $5 favourite in a wide betting race and after getting a superb ride from Mark Zahra, the Street Cry mare was strong to the line to record a head win over the on pace runner Sircconi ($11).

The Chris Waller trained Kings Will Dream ($9) ran on from mid-field to find third spot while the winner’s stablemate Cascadian ($14) made up ground along the fence from last to claim fourth.

Savatiano was the second leg of a winning double for the for the Cummings-Zahra combination after the pair teamed up with Viridine to win the Listed $140,000 Evergreen Turf Regal Roller Stakes (1200m).

Stable representative Sean Keogh said the Savatiano was given a similar preparation that saw her win the Group 2 $200,000 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill first up in the Autumn.

“She came into this preparation similar as she entered the Autumn,” Keogh said.

“She wasn’t campaigned through the Winter and James and the Team found a nice spell for her. “

“We saw that plan play out really well when she won the Millie Fox and she really showed herself to be a topflight race mare and the same recipe worked for us today.”

“After seeing a serious field being put away there with just the one public trial and she will derive some benefit from the race. Very happy with that.”