Savvy Spy, a four-year-old gelding showing considerable promise, put on a dazzling display of speed in the closing stages to win the Ranvet Handicap (2400m).
However, immediately after the race, as jockey Tim Clark was returning the horse to the winner’s enclosure, Savvy Spy unexpectedly sidestepped, causing the jockey to fall from the saddle near the finish line.
Fortunately, the fall was harmless, with Clark reporting no injuries beyond a bruised ego.
“I was posing for the photo or something, I wasn’t expecting that,” Clark told Sky Thoroughbred Central’s Corey Brown following the race.
Despite the minor incident, Clark was more eager to discuss the impressive performance of Savvy Spy after his strong victory.
The $2.30 favourite, Savvy Spy, trained by the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott partnership, accelerated sharply in the run to the line, winning by one-and-a-quarter lengths. Saint Emilion ($9) finished second, with Mr Fabulous ($21) a further one-and-a-half lengths back in third.
“He is going about things the right way,” Clark commented.
“He settled even better today, he really went to sleep for me and when he can do that, then he can show his really good turn of foot. In these staying races, a turn of foot will take you a long way. I think he is going to keep getting better with each preparation.”
Neil Paine, representing the Tulloch Lodge stable, indicated that Savvy Spy doesn’t quite fit the mould of a typical Waterhouse and Bott-trained galloper.
“He is not like one of Gai and Adrian’s horses as he usually gets back in his races,” Paine observed.
“We found the key to him. When we were riding him on the pace, he wasn’t finding the line. Since we starting to ride him ‘quiet’ he is finding the line and showing good acceleration late in his races.”
In another race, trainer Nacim Dilmi lauded jockey Tommy Berry’s ride on Probability Theory in the Singapore Pools Handicap (1400m), giving it a perfect score.
Berry launched Probability Theory from the widest barrier (8), successfully crossing the field to gain the inside running and settle in third position behind the leader, Rose Aye.
From this advantageous position, Berry was in command and eased Probability Theory ($11) around the leader before running down Rose Aye ($8.50) to win by three-quarters of a length. Wootton Lass ($16) finished third, two lengths behind the runner-up.
“What a ride by Tommy,” Dilmi stated.
“He rode the mare perfectly and got the job done, it was a 10/10 ride. She’s a nice mare building a good record (five wins from nine starts) and I will just look to keep taking her through the grades.”
Betting markets for the Ranvet Handicap are now open with leading Australian betting sites.
