A double strike at stakes level, a filly with a black-type future and a welcome family success handed Waikato Stud another rewarding weekend.
Von Hauke and Sir Albert delivered home and away victories, while farm graduate Belle Cheval announced herself as a top age group prospect and Baywatch lifted spirits with her breakthrough success.
The Cliff Brown-trained Von Hauke had little luck when fourth in last year’s Gr.2 Crystal Mile (1600m) and he made no mistake in the 2025 edition at The Valley on Saturday for the son of Savabeel’s fourth career victory.
“It’s a great game with a hell of a lot of great people in it and over the years you develop great relationships,” stud principal Mark Chittick said.
“Our relationship with Cliff started years back with (multiple stakes winner, sire) Scaredee Cat and we’ve had a filly in work with him, but unfortunately that didn’t go so well.
“He’s bought a few off us, one of them being Von Hauke, and we’ll get another over to him shortly.”
Von Hauke was offered on behalf of Waikato Stud by Stonehouse Thoroughbreds at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale where Brown bought the son of O’Reilly mare Tiara for A$190,000.
The granddaughter of Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) winner Royal Tiara has a yearling colt by Banquo and is in foal to Noverre.
Savabeel’s homebred son Sir Albert had earlier landed the Listed Spring Classic (2000m) for trainer Terri Rae to edge his remarkable sire closer to the deeds of his legendary father.
“Savabeel’s had 152 stakes winners now and Zabeel had 166, we may not get there but to have it in our sights is still pretty incredible,” Chittick said.
Sir Albert has won on eight occasions and is the last live foal bred by the farm out of the unraced O’Reilly mare Diana Dors.
The farm also gained a good deal of satisfaction from the impressive maiden success of the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Belle Cheval, now an equal $10 fourth favourite for the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
“We looked after her dam Keepa Cheval for a while for David (Archer) and Diane (Wright), who have become great friends,” Chittick said.
“When this Savabeel filly was born I said to David this is not one for you to sell.”
To round off the weekend, the homebred and raced Baywatch broke her maiden at Sale at her second appearance.
“She’s by Ocean Park out of Movie, so she’s a half-sister to Never Been Kissed (Gr.1 Flight Stakes, 1600m) who we unfortunately lost last week following complications after colic surgery,” Chittick said.
“She had three colts, unfortunately we didn’t get a filly out of her.
“Baywatch is with Michael Kent, who has educated her beautifully and given her time and she won really, really well so it was a nice pick me up after losing Never Been Kissed.”