Savvy Nature to kick off Autumn in Hobartville Stakes

John O’Shea’s exciting three year old Savvy Nature will kick off his Sydney Autumn Carnival campaign in the Group 2 $200,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on March 1.

Savvy Nature to kick off Autumn campaign in the Hobartville Stakes.

Savvy Nature to kick off Autumn campaign in the Hobartville Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

O’Shea is hoping for Group 1 success with Savvy Nature during the rich Autumn Carnival before he takes up duties at Darley replacing head trainer Peter Snowden who will stand down in May.

The top Randwick trainer said that Savvy Nature was ready to barrier trial on his home track next Friday and even though he has a fair idea of his Autumn program, it is not completely finalised.

O’Shea is preferring a program aimed towards ‘The Championships’ with a start in the Group 1 $3m The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 12 followed by the Group 1 $4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick the following week.

A start in the Group 1 $2m BMW Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 12 has virtually been ruled out with O’Shea wanting to keep the Savabeel three year old to distances up to 2000m.

“The Doncaster has significant appeal to me because possibly one of his best performances at Newcastle was over a mile and sometimes that tells you where they should be heading,” O’Shea told Sky Radio.

“Obviously he’s won over 2000 metres and the concern about running in the (Australian) Derby is that by definition it rules out the opportunity to run in the Queen Elizabeth.”

Savvy Nature performed well in the Spring against the three year olds winning the Group 2 $220,000 Mitchelton Wines Vase (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 26 before finishing fourteenth after having a troubled run to Polanski in the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on November 2.

O’Shea will keep him to his own age group in the first part of his preparation with a two week break from the Hobartville Stakes to the Group 1 $600,000 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick on March 15 followed by the Group 1 $500,000 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at Rosehill a fortnight later.

“He would go through a traditional path into the Rosehill Guineas and then from the Rosehill Guineas would determine where his future lies,” O’Shea said.

“I know some really, really good horses have struggled coming back from the Derby within seven days, so if we’re serious about running in the Queen Elizabeth he probably won’t run in the Derby, so there’s probably plenty of options for him.”

Savvy Nature is a winner of three races from eight starts and as well as winning at Moonee Valley in the Spring, he also won the Group 3 $150,000 Coca-Cola Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.