Bulls trainer Raymond Connors has posted the not for sale sign on promising juvenile Trav after the son of Almanzor closed too well for his rivals to score by a neck from Havarti in the Milton Park Stables 2YO (1200m) at Awapuni on Friday.
The Connors family bred and own the smart debut winner, who had previously trialled well when third at Foxton.
Ridden by Sarah Macnab, Trav settled back on the fence and was angled off the rail before the home turn before proving too slick for Havarti and race favourite Wisdom Wonder, to win going away in the manner of a horse that will get over further.
“He’s obviously showed us a fair bit at home and I thought he would run well, but he won’t be for sale,” Raymond Connors said.
“I’ll wait and see how he does, he’s a good eater and I think he will keep improving.”
Trav is a son of the winning Savabeel mare Royal Sav, who is a half-sister to the two-time Gr.3 Stewards’ Handicap (1200m) winner Prince Oz.
Connors also has a yearling full brother to Trav by promising young Cambridge Stud stallion Almanzor.
“He’s a nice type and a bit finer and probably not as big as Trav when he was a yearling,” Connors said.
The Gr. 1 Auckland Cup (3200m) winner Roger That and the three-time Group Three winner De Montfort feature in the pedigree.
It is also the family of the Connors-raced and trained Gr.2 Wellington Cup (3200m) winner Blood Brotha and their Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2000) winner and Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) placegetter King Jonny.
The gelding becomes the second Southern Hemisphere winner for Almanzor, following impressive Karaka Million winner Dynastic, who will be among the favourites for the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) on Sunday week, while Group-placed Andalus has already emerged for the promising young Classic sire.
Almanzor will be well-represented at next week’s New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale at Karaka, with 38 yearlings in Book 1 and six yearlings in Book 2. – NZ Racing Desk
