A graduate of the Inglis Red Centre Yearling Sale, and beaten in the Alice Springs Cup and Darwin Cup, Savatoxl put another notch on his belt when scored a last stride win over the brilliant filly Dosh in Saturday’s $300,000 Group II Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Randwick.
Ridden by Luke Currie for Tony and Calvin McEvoy, the 6yo Kuroshio gelding chase down the free running Rich Enuff filly Dosh with the consistent Pride Of Dubai mare Bella Nipotina a long-head back in third.
It was the first win for Savatoxl since he captured the Group 1 The Goodwood at Morphettville in May.
Savatoxl has been a revelation since switching to the McEvoys and reverted to sprinting. His overall record advances to 17 wins, a second and two thirds from 31 starts with earnings of $913,540.
"Gee we’re excited to have him back as well as that. He was doing everything so easily that I thought he may have just needed it," Tony McEvoy said
“That was a strung out race. They went very quick and it just shows how tough he is. .
“His first run for me in the Balaklava Cup, he ran third and ran very well but just didn’t run out the mile.
“He came to me in such great order and in form. We tried a couple of times at 1400 but at this level I knew that he needed up to 1200 metres max and he’s turned out a great short course horse.
“The guys in Alice (Springs) had such great faith in this horse and I was pleased that they made the phone call to send him down to us.”
McEvoy said the Group 1 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley will be the next run for Savatoxl.
Currie said his mount was off the bit and chasing a long way out.
“We went out with the idea to press early but Dosh was so quick, and I could see Mick Dee had a handful of horse even earlier and he was getting away from us.
“We were chasing most of the way and I thought it might stop but with the light weight it kept going and we were lucky to me close enough to grind away and get there on the line.
“He had the one trial going into it so whatever he’s done today he’s going to improve on it.
“It was a tough effort to chase that speed and keep going. He’s definitely on the right track.”
Bred by Sheryl Atkinson, Savatoxl was consigned by Stonehouse Thoroughbreds to the 2017 Inglis VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale. He left the ring unsold before the Alice Springs Turf Club stepped in and purchased him for $8000.
The son of Kuroshio was back in the ring at the Inglis Red Centre Yearling Sale, where his original trainer and part-owner Will Savage took him home for $18,000.
Savatoxl is the best of three winners from six to race out of the Savabeel mare Li’l Miss Hayley, who Atkison had purchased just $5,000 at the 2011 Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale.
A half-sister to stakes-placed Total Response (Kheleyf), Li’l Miss Hayley has a 2yo filly by Needs Further and was covered by him again last spring.
A Group II winning son of Exceed And Excel and a brother to stakes-winner Believe'n'succeed, the dam of the ill-fated Epsom Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck and Group 1 winner Bounding, Kuroshio shuttled to Great Britain for four seasons and did not return after 2018.
