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Superstar three-year-old Probabeel proved a class above her age-group rivals when she made a winning start to her summer campaign over 1400m at Awapuni on Saturday.
The Savabeel filly was backed as unbeatable on past performances that included a win in the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) last season along with a runner-up finish in the Gr.1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick to round out her spring campaign.
Punters who took the $1.15 odds were never in any doubt as she cruised along in midfield for rider Opie Bosson before asserting her authority in the run home to win comfortably by just on two lengths from Queen Kamada who had bravely tried to lead throughout.
Trainer Jamie Richards was happy enough with the performance despite his charge looking a little sluggish at times during the contest.
"She had a bit of a bee in her bonnet before the start so she's going to improve a lot for it (the run)," Richards said.
"She's not usually a filly to win by a big margin so it's good to see that we've got that out of the road.
"I guess you would have liked to see her do it a little easier, but she's one of those fillies who only goes as good as the other ones are going.
"She will improve a lot and it's good to have her back."
Bosson was succinct in his summing up of the race.
"I rode her a little handier than planned," Bosson said.
"There was a bit of pressure on us throughout the race, but she's quite a lazy horse.
"She's got a good turn of foot, so you know she can get you out of trouble.
"Once she balanced up, she changed leg and felt really good."
Owned by Cambridge Stud couple Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Probabeel was purchased by Te Akau Racing boss David Ellis for $380,000 from the Waikato Stud draft during Book 1 at Karaka in 2018. With four wins, three seconds, from 10 starts, she has now won $769,000 in prize money.
"She showed she was special when winning her first start at Ellerslie, and after winning three from four she unfortunately struck two heavy tracks when we took her to Sydney as a two-year-old," Ellis said.
"She had a good spell and we kicked her off again at Randwick, and, really, she was pretty unlucky not to win one of the legs of the Princess Series. She was racing against the best fillies in Australia, and showed she was up to them.
"Jamie (Richards) has done a terrific job with her and it's exciting for Brendan & Jo, and all our team, that she can contest another million dollar race at the end of January. She loves Ellerslie, killed them in the Karaka Million, and I think she'll be a top chance."
Probabeel will now head to the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 25 where she will attempt to become the first horse to take out both the two-year-old and three-year-old $1m features.
TAB Bookmakers have her a quote of $1.60 for the Ellerslie feature ahead of Australian-based rival Conqueror at $3.20 and Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) runner-up Harlech at $5.
Richards and Bosson made it back-to-back victories when Weaponry out-toughed his rivals to take out a rating 82 1600m in the next race on the programme.
