The daughter of Savabeel exceeded all expectations on the track under trainer Jamie Richards’ guidance with four Group One victories in Australia and made history at home as the only horse to win the Karaka Million as a two and three-year-old.

After careful thought, Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay decided her first mating will be to Wootton Bassett’s son Almanzor, who has made an outstanding beginning to his stallion career.

“Probabeel going to Almanzor is incredibly exciting for Cambridge Stud, quite obviously, and Almanzor has got off to a flying start through Dynastic winning the Karaka Million,” Richards said.

“How exciting is it that she is staying in New Zealand and going to one of our stallions. Almanzor is a lovely type himself and with Probabeel being a queen, you could mate her to any stallion in the world and have beautiful foals.

“She was a great racehorse and has matured into a lovely mare and I’m sure she will be a great Mum.”

Probabeel won 13 of her 29 starts, including the Epsom Handicap, Surround Stakes, Might And Power Stakes and Futurity Stakes at the elite level.

“She ranks as certainly one of the best we have been associated with and showed throughout her career, from when she was a two-year-old right through to when she was still racing as a five-year-old, that she could match the best in Australia and New Zealand,” Richards said.

“She has been a wonderful mare with a great temperament, which will stand her in good stead.”

 

Queen Elizabeth test for I’m Thunderstruck

I’m Thunderstruck will be out to improve on his last two runner-up results when he heads to Randwick on Saturday to contest the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained gelding was second in both the A$5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) and Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) last Saturday.

Price was pleased with the way the Kiwi-bred pulled up after the race and has elected to press on for one more run this preparation.

“He pulled up good (from the Doncaster),” Price told RacingHQ. “Hugh (Bowman, jockey) said he has ridden the horse on top of the ground and in this very heavy ground, and he said he is better on top of the ground.

“On Sunday I was going to go to the paddock (with him) but I thought I would put a voicemail out to the owners to say let’s run him in the 2000m race.

“Mark Zahra is riding because Hughy jumped on Montefilia. It is a horse race and it is $5 million and my horse is in perfect condition.

“He is very well.”

Price will also line-up fellow Kiwi-bred Annavisto in the Gr.1 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m) and the daughter of Reliable Man will be ridden positively.

“Annavisto will be ridden by Rachel King from barrier 6,” Price said.

“I am sick of trying to get this horse to behave itself. I am going to let her slide. She is a good front-running rider, that is why I put her on.”

Annavisto was identified by bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo and purchased out of Tony Pike’s stable in New Zealand after winning a trial at Te Teko in February 2020.