The CIARON MAHER Racing Team (Ciaron Maher & David Eustace) have supplied Dynamic Syndications and our Ownership Team with yet another WINNER. This time it was on Tuesday at Stawell, as our highly promising CHEVAL SAVANT 3yo Bay Gelding, (SAVABEEL ex PASSION CHEVAL) won with authority, Race 1, the Ecycle Solutions Maiden Plate (1857m) when second up from a spell, at his third career start overall.
Outstanding training techniques and horse husbandry were matched by a pearler of a ride by John Allen (nickname “Irish”) as the Dynamic Duo were never in doubt, as our $3.00 Favourite recorded a soft, eased down 2 length winning margin over Tewkesbury ($5.50) with 1.25 lengths back to Jackand ($8.00) in third position.
CHEVAL SAVANT carried 59.0kgs on the Good 4 surface and recorded an easy 1:56.71.
Stabled at Ballarat, CHEVAL SAVANT took his career to: 3 Starts = 1:0:1 & Prizemoney: $27,650
We have always had an opinion that this 3yo gelding was well above average, and in the Spring we were hopeful CHEVAL SAVANT would measure up into a potential VRC Derby hopeful.
Things went against the horse back then, and his wasn’t quiet there with maturity between the ears, so we elected to abort and save him for the Autumn / Winter then decide what type of horse he would turn into.
He has grown into a lovely, big framed, strong type, with an amazing length of stride, however we need to keep him to bigger track layouts so he can remain balanced.
First up this preparation and still underdone in fitness, CHEVAL SAVANT went to Newcastle over 1500m where getting back to the tail of the field, he stormed home when the race was over to finish 3rd. So, we knew second up here, and up further in trip would be ideal.
When we purchased the horse as a yearling at the Inglis Premier Sale in 2021 for $80,000, we also knew that he was VOBIS eligible. That’s because CHEVAL SAVANT was bred and sold by Yulong Stud, and the 3yo qualified for the bonus monies. We targeted this race at Stawell because we knew the race had a Super VOBIS Bonus on it for the winning owners of $8,400.
Our only concern in this event at Stawell was the tighter turning track layout, but we were limited by options at this 1850m trip in the racing calendar and we were basically forced to run here, as part of his foundation building for races over further later in his preparation.
The track was not going to suit our beautiful, big striding son of SAVABEEL. However, we knew class would count for a lot, and this layout concern was offset by a superb ride, when Irish had our boy in the gun position of one out / one back, trailling the $3.10 second favourite One Thing Counts, leaving the home straight the first time.
Sweeping down the side and then into the back straight, Tewkesbury who had been trapped 3 deep outside us during the first two furlongs, pushed forward to sit second at the girth of the leader. This allowed Johnny Allen to get CHEVAL SAVANT into a lovely rhythm whilst stalking the second favourite One Thing Counts. The Dynamic Duo were patiently sitting in fifth spot about 6 lengths off the lead.
As the field past the 600m, One Thing Counts flushed out 3 deep to go up and put pressure on the leading two before the field began their swing into the home turn.
Again, as that unfolded, Irish just angled up behind One Thing Counts until the point of the turn and then angled out 4 deep to make his move around it.
As they field swung into the home straight CHEVAL SAVANT was the widest runner two lengths off the leaders.
Once balanced for the run home, Irish let the horse have some rein and they effortlessly cruised up to eyeball the leader who to its credit, fought back before, CHEVAL SAVANT left it floundering at the 150m. Passing the 150m mark the race was all over and keeping CHEVAL SAVANT in a straight line, the horse galloped away offering a soft, hands and heels ride to Irish as CHEVAL SAVANT pricked his ears for fun over the final 50m to score nicely by 2 lengths.
Post-Race loyal stable representative Angela Taylor-Moy was interviewed by Tim from Racing.com
Who opened the interview with “Angela a terrific job, one runner today – one win. Pretty easy isn’t it and that was a convincing win in the end.”
Angela responded “Yes it was, I want to thank Dynamic Syndications, and their ownership, all the owners that are in it, there are a heap of owners, and Irish (John Allen) rode him pretty good. He’s (CHEVAL SAVANT) is a lovely big horse, a lovely big horse, he’s got a lot of scope, so I am sure David and Ciaron will work him through his grades and go from there.”
Tim asked, “So he’s come down to the Victorian Stables after beginning the preparation up in New South Wales?”
Angela said: “Yes, that’s right. He ran third up there and he’s up in distance today so, super – third run and he’s got a win for the owners, so really happy!”
Tim then said: “There looked to be a little bit left as well, certainly not short of his trip.”
“Yes, as I said he’s a really nice, scopey horse, so I am sure he’s going to handle more ground.”
Then Racing.com racecaller then added-in: “So put them away really well CHEVAL SAVANT, with John Allen, a good win for the Dynamic Syndications Group in the Ecycle Solutions Maiden Plate.”
Sam from Racing.com then said: “Yes it was a lovely win by the Winner sitting off the back of the (second) favourite, in a perfect position. Johnny Allen had that horse exactly where he wanted it, and was certainly the first one to the winning post, so I am looking forward to listening to what he has to say here because I think that horse might have a bit of upside, especially over a staying trip as they touched on there. A nice big horse, and the way they got through the line there over 1850m, suggests its going to be able to get that mile and a half (2400m) so the world’s your oyster when it comes to being able to stay.”
Having returned to the Winners stall, Jockey JOHN ALLEN was interviewed by Tim from Racing.com
Tim commenced the interview with John Allen by saying: “Hey John, great start to your day, a nice win for a horse that looks to have a little bit of upside perhaps?”
Johnny Allen responded “Yeah, he’s a big, raw horse, it’s probably taken a little bit of time to come to hand, but he was pretty good the other day, and I was pretty confident and the only slight concern I had was around this tighter track, but he handled things pretty well and I won with a bit of ease.”
Tim then asked: “Did you think you had the race well within your keeping around the turn?”
Irish said: “Yeah, travelling down the side my main contenders were probably in front of me and I thought I was travelling better than them, so I was pretty confident. There with no issues at the trip (1857m) and probably going to be better when he gets out over further, so I thought I was in pretty safe hands when I moved out.”
This was a terrific win by a horse we do have an opinion of.
We are not getting too far ahead of ourselves, as to date all we have done is be placed and then won from 3 starts.
However, the way CHEVAL SAVANT ate-up the ground, and was so strong through the line, suggests that he will be far better again at 2000m to 2400m where there are plenty of opportunities.
CONGRATULATION to the Co-Ownership Team that Race CHEVAL SAVANT: Dynamic Syndications Racing, Bimbadeen Racing, Mr S Troughton, Mrs N M Gunn, Mr P Jones, Mrs E Hanna, Two & A Half Pensioners, Mr W J Lake, Mr G Cornell, Mr M C Smith, Mr D J Hughes, Mr KM Dowling, Mr L A Lindsell, Mr M A Wolens, Mrs H L Hohn, Kenny Win, Dynamic no. 136, Dynamic no. 137.
Cheval Savant - Winner 21.2.23 from Dynamic Syndications on Vimeo.
This win by CHEVAL SAVANT recorded DYNAMIC SYNDICATIONS 40th Race Win for the current 2022/23 Racing Season and our 810th Race Win Overall.
Importantly CHEVAL SAVANT was Dynamic Syndications 284th Individual Winner from 327 Individual Runners for a strike rate of 86.9% whilst 320 of our 327 runners have earned prizemoney = 97.9%.
This was the tenth (10th) Race win (25%) the Ciaron Maher Stable has trained for us this season, with 8 metro wins plus a win at Newcastle and this win at Stawell.
Onwards and Upwards !