Rupert Clarke on the horizon for Skew Wiff
New Zealand Group 1 winner Skew Wiff (Savabeel) put her barrier troubles firmly behind her as she bounced back to winning form in yesterday’s Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) at Flemington, her first win in Australia.
Winner of September’s Tarzino Trophy (Gr 1, 1400m), the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained four-year-old was set for her first start on Australian shores in the Rose Of Kingston Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) on October 7, but was forced to be scratched after playing up in the barriers.
After finishing sixth in the Tristarc Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) last month, Skew Wiff showed her enormous talent, swooping impressively down the outside under Opie Bosson to defeat the fast-finishing Foxy Cleopatra (American Pharoah) by a head, with Forbidden City (I Am Invincible) another nose away in third.
Ben Gleeson, assistant at Te Akau’s Cranbourne base, was delighted to see the mare get back to winning ways and revealed she would now attempt to add a second elite-level race to her CV in the Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Caulfield on November 18.
“She hasn’t had the ideal preparation obviously with that barrier mishap but we’re hoping to get her to the Rupert Clarke, which is obviously in a week-and-a-half so we’ll see how she comes through the run but 1400 metres at Caulfield will be right up her alley,” said Gleeson.
“It’s huge, obviously for Waikato Stud, who are massive supporters of New Zealand racing and Te Akau racing and Mark [Walker] so to have a winner for them on Cup day with such a good mare who now picks up black-type in Australia is a great thrill.
“It was a gun ride. She’s a filly that if she’s left alone and gets a bit of cover she’s got an electrifying finish and you could see Opie [Bosson] was trying to keep the three-wide trail and hold onto her as much as he could.
“He knows the filly so well and to come over for just her today shows the opinion he has of her.”
David Ellis’ Te Akau silks will be on show on Saturday when Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) headlines the action at Flemington in the Champions Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m), but Gleeson said Skew Wiff shows the depth in quality at the Cranbourne base.
“It just shows Te Akau’s here, we don’t just have the one horse to represent us [Imperatriz, multiple Group 1 winner], so it’s a big thrill and it shows everyone that we’re willing to train for anyone and have more horses than just the tangerine [Te Akau syndicated horses],” he said.
Delivering his customary stylish ride, Bosson was quick to heap plaudits on the team for ironing out the mares ‘quirks’.
“It is good to see that they’ve straightened out a few of those quirks that she’s got and she’s doing everything perfect now. She’s like a little lamb to ride, she’s a new horse,” Bosson said.
“She’s so much more laid back and in the barriers she doesn’t even think twice about moving.”
A mishap before the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale meant Skew Wiff (4 m Savabeel – Starvoia by Starcraft) was forced to forgo her trip to Karaka.
The mare is out of Listed winner Starvoia (Starcraft) and hails from the same family as Australian Group 1 winner Dowry (Bahhare) and Group 2 scorer Fatal (Bakharoff).
In 2020, Starvoia produced a brother to Skew Wiff, while last year she foaled a filly by fellow Waikato Stud-based sire Super Seth (Dundeel) and has most recently been covered by Savabeel’s (Zabeel) son and barnmate, Noverre.
Skew Wiff is one of 135 individual stakes winners and 32 Group 1 winners for Waikato Stud’s leading stallion, Savabeel, who enjoyed a stakes double at Flemington with Forgot You striking in the Furphy Plate (Listed, 1800m) earlier on the card.
Savabeel relinquished his eight year-long stranglehold on the New Zealand champion sire title last year and is currently standing at Waikato Stud for a fee of NZ$100,000 (plus GST).