But listening to Graeme wax post-race about this ‘big raw staying horse’ with a stack of ability, recollections of another serious talent in the same colours inevitably came to mind.
Like Sharp ‘N’ Smart, Savabeel was bred to get over a trip.
He showed precocity not normally associated with Zabeels to belt his rivals on debut over 1000m, sweeping home from last to win running away by four-and-a-half lengths.
The second horse that day, Mind The Step, eventually stumbled far enough north to finish up in Darwin.
Despite the Kiwi pedigree that preached patience, Rogerson persisted with a four-start two-year-old campaign that culminated in a Champagne Stakes.
Savabeel finished both third and second-last in the four-strong Champagne, as the gelding Dance Hero secured his Triple Crown: no ‘stallion-making’ races when Gai’s bloke found the front.
It was a day of theatre scarcely seen at Randwick. A couple of hours later Grand Armee had the temerity to trounce the Black Flash, Lonhro, by six in his $1.26 Queen Elizabeth swansong. Then the Diva won the Sydney Cup.
Returning for his three-year-old campaign in August, Savabeel turned heads second-up after letting down strongly for a close-up fifth in Doonan’s Golden Rose (alas another gelding), before stamping himself as a Derby contender by claiming the Spring Champion, poking along up on the speed for Chris Munce.