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Multiple Group 1 winner to return to New Zealand

Trainer Jamie Richards has said Probabeel (Savabeel) will now head for a spell following her second place finish in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Randwick on Saturday. 

After drawing clear of the field in the straight, it looked at one point the daughter of Savabeel (Zabeel) looked assured to land her fourth Group 1, but she was denied victory when she was gunned down by Nettoyer (Sebring). 

“She is a mare that needs good ground to show her best and I’m not sure if that track was as firm as it could have been,” Richards said.

“A number of the winners on the day are more suited to give in the ground and I think that factor is told on our mare at the finish.

“She’s heading home on the same plane as Entriviere and while she’s having a break we can discuss with Brendan and Jo what we set her for next.

“I know they are really keen to have another go at the Cox Plate, so we will make a plan for her with that race in the back of our minds.”

She will return to New Zealand with stablemate Entriviere (Tavistock), who showed she was an Australian stakes winner in waiting after she was narrowly denied victory in the Sapphire Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick on Saturday. 

“I think the barrier (14) is what beat Entriviere as she was planted out four wide with no cover throughout and didn’t get the rub of the green.

“What was particularly pleasing though was how she just kept on coming in the home straight. She looked like she might run a tidy third or fourth halfway down, but she wouldn’t give in, pinned her ears back and had a crack to just miss.

“I’m very proud of how far she has come in this campaign, so she can have a break now and get ready for next year.

“It will be very interesting to see how far she can go next time in, as she is still quite raw.

“She will be on a plane home next Sunday and can have a good spell.”

Meanwhile, New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Amarelinha (Savabeel) will also head for the paddock, following her fourth place finish behind Hungry Heart (Frankel) in the Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m). 

“She (Amarelinha) might just have been showing the effects of a long campaign,” he said.

“In saying that, it was a funny run race as they went three-quarter pace down the back and then quickened up the straight.

“We were in the right position on the corner, but she was just a little soft in the last 200 metres which may have been the long prep she has had.

“We’ll put her aside as well, as she has a lot of maturing to do yet.

“What we target with her is still up for discussion and will really depend on how she spells.”