Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Eight weeks after celebrating what they thought was a career pinnacle in the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham, the connections of blue-blooded mare Provence (Savabeel) were treated to something even more special in Saturday’s Gr.1 HKJC World Pool New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie.
The fillies and mares’ feature carried a stake of $600,000 and was one of four Group Ones on a star-studded Champions Day card. Provence earned her time in the spotlight with a stunning $30 upset over the $1.30 favourite, New Zealand’s highest-rated mare Legarto.
“This is a great feeling,” trainer Stephen Marsh said. “Throughout the last few weeks and months, I just couldn’t wait to get to this day. It’s the greatest day ever and so awesome for New Zealand racing. You just come into it hoping that your horses can step up, and this mare has done that.”
Provence earned her first Group One victory in the Thorndon Mile on January 11. She dug deep all the way down the long Trentham straight that day and edged out Qali Al Farrasha, Town Cryer and Aegon in a desperately close finish.
In her only start since then, Provence was badly blocked in the straight in the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m) at Matamata on February 15. She saw daylight very late in the piece, making up some late ground to get within three and a half lengths of Legarto. When they met again in Saturday’s Breeders’ Stakes, the result was very different.
Legarto had been a victim of circumstances in her two previous shock Ellerslie defeats, finishing strongly from too far back to run second in last year’s Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m) and Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m). This time rider Ryan Elliot had her well within striking distance and she ranged up alongside the leaders at the top of the straight.
But this time Provence surged out of the pack and soon drew up on Legarto’s outside, with a strong-finishing Jaarffi flashing through closer to the inside.
Provence and Jaarffi swallowed up Legarto with about 70m remaining, fighting a head-bobbing finish that Provence won by a short head. Legarto was another half-length away in third.
It was a third consecutive win in the Breeders’ Stakes for jockey Sam Spratt, who guided Belclare to back-to-back victories in 2023 and 2024.
“We had a bad draw to start with, so we were a bit disheartened coming into this race,” she said. “But we ended up actually getting a beautiful trip, just in midfield and one off.
“As soon as she got out, she’s just so tough. We went past Legarto, and I thought, ‘If we’ve managed to get past her, we must be a chance here.’ But then Warren (Kennedy, riding Jaarffi) bombed me at the end and he actually said ‘I got you.’ So I went from being excited to ‘aw’. But she’s just so tough.
“Stephen has nailed it with this mare. She’s hit the mark when it matters in two Group One races. She went pretty well at Matamata last time too, pretty much just cantering to the line.”
Provence has now had 16 starts for six wins, a placing and $817,115 in stakes. The five-year-old Savabeel mare was bred by Tony Rider, who shares ownership with the Social Racing Ellerslie Winners’ Circle Syndicate.
Provence is a full-sister to Damask Rose, who won the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) over the same course and distance in January.
“We’ve had so many seconds this season, and when they hit the line there, I thought that was going to be another second placing in the books,” Marsh said. “But then the photo popped up on the screen and it was just the best feeling.
“You’d love to have a few more like this mare in your stable. She’s so tough and has an amazing will to win. She has now won two Group One races this season and she’s a beautifully bred Savabeel mare, so it couldn’t be any better than that. It’s great for Tony Rider, for Brent and Wendy Cooper and a massive syndicate of owners with Social Racing.”
