SAVVY HALLIE GALLOPS EARLY TO BEAT THE RAIN
But Hawkesbury’s leading trainer made a little departure from normal when he galloped Savvy Hallie this morning in preparation for Saturday’s $20m The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick.
“With rain forecast I decided to give Savvy Hallie her final decent work instead of tomorrow morning,” Widdup explained.
“She worked over 1000m on the course proper at Hawkesbury with stablemate Hyperbolic, increasing from the 600m.
“It was nice work, and the mare is in great order.”
Again sticking with routine, Widdup didn’t ask Savvy Hallie’s The Everest jockey Zac Lloyd to come to Hawkesbury to get a “feel” of her prior to riding her for the first time in the world’s richest race on turf.
“There was no need to do that,” he said.
“Rosie Jilla rides Savvy Hallie in all her work, and I merely wanted to keep everything the same.”
It is fitting that Widdup should be part of The Everest for the second year running given she will race in the Mulberry slot (as Jedibeel did last year) for B K Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd and their racing manager, former jockey Ben Vassallo.
Mike Gregg’s Mulberry is the stable’s biggest owner, and B K Racing & Breeding has been a very staunch supporter since Widdup launched his training career nine years ago.
In fact, B K Racing & Breeding part-owned Widdup’s first black type winner Sandbar (2018 Lonhro Plate at Warwick Farm).
Widdup, who has trained more winners at provincial tracks than any other provincial trainer for the last five seasons, is on the verge of a career 500 wins (currently 496).
He is understandably excited to again be part of The Everest, but says he isn’t going to Randwick to “make up the numbers” either.
Jedibeel ($151) last year ran 11th to Hong Kong whiz Ka Ying Rising, who again dominates discussions on the 10th running of the feature sprint.
Savvy Hallie is currently a $51 chance in the 12-horse field to topple the $1.35 hotpot.
Jedibeel ran fourth to Briasa (subsequently eighth in The Everest) in the $1m Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick 12 months ago in The Everest lead-up, whereas Savvy Hallie ran second to The Everest second favorite Tempted in this year’s renewal on October 3.
“Jedibeel ran well in the Premiere, but really we were chasing our tail with him,” Widdup said.
“He had an interrupted preparation as he jarred a joint just before he was due to resume in the Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick in early September.
“Jedibeel went into The Everest third-up, whilst Savvy Hallie is fourth up on Saturday.
“She was galloped on from behind in winning the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) against her own sex at Rosehill Gardens on September 12, and as a result we didn’t go south for the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
“But she is well and truly back on track as her latest second in the Premiere Stakes showed, and on an upward spiral.
‘I couldn’t be any happier with her.
“After this morning’s gallop, she will do some light work on Thursday morning.”
Though Widdup brought forward the mare’s final gallop a day because of the threat of rain, he will welcome precipitation if the forecast for more later this week eventuates.
Savvy Hallie is very adept on heavy ground; winning two of her three starts and being placed in the other, and has also been placed twice from as many outings on soft surfaces.
And her trainer isn’t fazed about what the barrier draw might throw up when the numbers are released at special function in Sydney tomorrow night.
“It is what it is,” Widdup said. “You might worry about barriers with a Maiden, but there’s no point with The Everest.
“We just have to deal with whatever barrier we get.”
Taking a form line through Tempted, a firming $5 second favorite, Savvy Hallie deserves better consideration than market assessors are currently giving her.
She has raced Tempted four times – and finished second to her in three of them.
In particular, the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick in February this year when she made her rival earn every bit of that major.
Savvy Hallie this morning successfully passed the first part of a veterinary inspection ordered by RacingNSW stewards, with a second and final later in the week.
Speaking of routine, that’s par for the course with all The Everest runners.
