Savvy Dreams a OK
THE connections of Savvy Dreams were dealt a cruel blow at Morphettville on Saturday when the Kiwi filly was scratched at the gates before the running of the Australasian Oaks.
The Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen-trained daughter of Savabeel, who ran third in the New Zealand Oaks, reared up and flipped herself over just seconds before she was due to load and was scratched following a vet inspection.
Thankfully Cullen confirmed on Saturday night that Savvy Dreams was ‘‘absolutely fine’’.
He said the scratching was bitterly disappointing because he and Lowry could not have been happier with the filly’s condition ahead of the A$500,000 Group I race.
Savvy Dreams was a $15 chance in the market but Australian broadcasters were surprised by her long odds.
There are options for her to stay in South Australia and race in the coming weeks but Cullen said they were undecided at this stage.
The race was won by the Chris Waller-trained Egg Tart.
Meanwhile, the news was much better for the Kiwis up on the Gold Coast.
Heroic Valour, who was having his first start since February 11, went down by half a head to Savanna Amour in the Group III Gold Coast Guineas.
The Fastnet Rock colt, trained by Jamie Richards and Stephen Autridge, never gave up the fight in an encouraging sign for the remainder of the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
Heroic Valour would surely take a lot of improvement from the run which was made more impressive by the fact he and Opie Bosson had drawn wide.
Earlier, Addictive Habit only beat three runners home in the A$100,000 Listed Prime Minister’s Cup (1400m) but the fresh up effort had its positives under top weight of 60.5kg.
The Lee Somervell-trained 7-year-old was having his first start in more than 14-months following an injury-enforced break. MAARTEN HOLL/FAIRFAX NZ