At Randwick on Saturday, Savvy Hallie turned potential into performance, breaking through for her first stakes win in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes.
Last season, the filly had built a reputation as one of the more talented maidens, running second to King Of Pop in her debut before finishing runner-up in both the Baillieu and Percy Sykes Stakes. She returned this spring with a maiden win at Newcastle and now boasts a black-type victory at just her fifth start.
Trainer Brad Widdup said backing her up was a calculated risk. “We were meant to race at Kembla and we got the heavy 10. We didn’t go and the track looked alright,” he said. “We waited until last week and ran her and then we had to back her up here, so big call. She was just brilliant. It’s great when they handle a track like this. Great call to run today so I will give them (her owners) a bit of credit there for once.”
Widdup said the filly’s immediate path will likely include the Furious Stakes but admitted he isn’t convinced she will stretch to longer races in the Princess series. “I think she is too brilliant to keep pushing out further. She did a good jump, 900 to 1200 today. We will probably aim up in a fortnight and then see how we go.”
Rider Jay Ford was glowing in his assessment of the winner. “She is a genuine Group horse every day of the week,” he said. “Hopefully as she furnishes and gets older she might take that next step again, but her tenacity and will to win, and just how genuine she is – she flies the machines, puts herself in a spot – so she gives herself every chance of success.”
Savvy Hallie ($3.50) proved too good, defeating Within The Law ($3.50) by three-quarters of a length, with Queen Of Clubs ($10) running on strongly into third. Portelli, who trains Queen Of Clubs, said the filly was likely to skip the Furious Stakes and step up to 1400m in the Tea Rose or Ming Dynasty.