Photo: Jane Davidson (Race Images)
A clever ride and some good old-fashioned kiwi grit resulted in Savabeel filly Acer (Savabeel) collecting her maiden victory in some style as she took out the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth.
Consistent rain during the week and some heavy showers earlier in the day presented a very testing Heavy10 track surface, which had many struggling to cope with conditions a long way from the winning post.
Wexford Stables pair Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott prepare Acer, who appealed as one who would get through the ground as she is a daughter of stakes-winning mare Sweet Treat, who scored her five career victories on wet tracks.
Rider Erin Leighton made good use of an inside barrier draw to position her mount in behind pacemaker She Suits Herself, despite having her heart in her mouth immediately after the jump where the filly blundered before picking herself up and moving into the trail.
Leighton took advantage of a slackening pace and charged through to dispute the lead at the 800m before hugging the rail around the home turn and seizing a two-length advantage.
She Suits Herself was nothing if not game and fought hard to draw level once again, however, Acer was too tough and held her out by a neck at the line with Unbounded making up many lengths in the closing stages to take third.
“I was really confident she had that residual fitness under her belt today and her Mum was a swimmer, so she had the breeding on her side to get through the track,” Leighton said.
“Wexford knew what they were sending down as they looked at the forecast yesterday and told me she had water wings, so I was really confident.
“I was advised to go forward, but if you look at the start she completely spreadeagled and we were about two feet from the ground.
“She picked herself up and we went to Plan B which saw us get a prefect rails run and when she poked through on the inside she was tough enough to hold them all out.”
Bred by the Smithies family under their Monovale Holdings banner, Acer failed to reach her $150,000 reserve at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale and has been retained for racing by the family.
She holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie on 21 February where she now sits at a $21 quote in the TAB Fixed Odds market behind current favourite and stablemate Ohope Wins and Group One placed filly Tajana, who are both at $5.
