A first stakes winner for Sun Stud's Love Conquers All when 'the Magic Man' Joao Moreira teamed up with former top Victorian trainer John Meagher to win Saturday's Group II Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield with Savanna Amour.
Meagher was a leading trainer in Singapore where Moreira was rewriting the record books before his move to Hong Kong.
Meagher returned to Australia to set up a training business with son Chris in Queensland.
With race favourite
It brought back some happy memories for Moreira who sported the same all gold silks on the Chris Waller-trained Brazen Beau in the Group I Newmarket Handicap and Group I Coolmore Stud Stakes.
"She's very good and I'm happy to be putting on these colours and win again for these connections, Moreira said.
"They (the Meagher family) have been good friends to me and good to me at the races for a long time since I was in Singapore and it's pretty good to get back on his horse to win today.
"She put on a good fight and she had to fight because there were two horses around her.
"She's quite brave and I'm very glad to be riding her today."
Meagher said it was great to get some black-type with the Queensland filly.
She's a really decent filly, only lightly raced, Meagher said.
Thank goodness Grant (Morgan of Ontrack Thoroughbreds) has given us great support, he has a good eye for a horse and is a decent bloke so it's a great story.
A $100,000 purchase by Ontrack Thoroughbreds from the Toolooganvale Farm draft at the 2015 Inglis Classic Yearling sale, Savanna Amour advances her record to 3 wins and 2 thirds from 6 starts with earnings of $244,500.
She is the third foal of the Stravinsky mare Savanna La Mar a 5-time winner in Brisbane.
Purchased for $70,000 by Newgate Farm at the 2010 Magic Millions National Broodmare sale, Savanna La Mar is a half-sister to Group III winner Voodoo Beat out of Cajun Magic (Twig Moss) a half-sister to Group I Golden Slipper winner Marauding.
Savanna La Mar has a 2yo colt by Pierro and a filly foal by Dissident.
She was bred back to Super One last spring.
Savanna Amour is one of 58 live foals from the first crop of Sun Stud's handsome Love Conquers All (Mossman) who covered 111 mares last spring at an increased fee of $13,750.
