Racing: Perseverance pays off for Bergerson with Savaria

Savaria (inner) holds off the plucky Jacksstar to win the Wellington Cup at Trentham on Saturday. Photo / Trish Dunell

Horse racing is all about keeping the faith.

Since winning the Oaks at Trentham two months short of two years ago Savaria had won only the $30,000 Summer Cup at Manawatu in December 2015.

Most had lost confidence in the mare, but not trainer Roydon Bergerson. He went into Saturday's $250,000 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup brimming with confidence, despite a paper formline of 80555.

"That formline doesn't reflect what she's done," said Bergerson yesterday. "There have been a couple of bad rides along the way and a couple of tracks that didn't suit. The closing sectionals in some of her races have been terrific -- she's a real stayer."

Bergerson knew Savaria was going to run the race of her career early last week.

"Her work Tuesday morning was right up to her best. All she needed was luck."

That luck didn't arrive. Savaria settled fourth last along the inside rail. It became even worse just after they went past the 800m.

"I started to get worried when the swoopers went around the outside," said rider Hayden Tinsley, who had wasted hard all week to ride the mare at 56.5kg.

"One of the Australian horses stopped in front of us coming up to the home bend and we were last on the bend."

Tinsley pulled wide and Savaria managed a gap just inside Jacksstar, who had been the widest on the home bend. Good jockeys know when a horse is doing its best and Tinsley, despite being locked in a desperate struggle with the dour Jacksstar, did not pull the whip inside the final 200m.

Without the aid of the whip, Savaria gave everything to win at decent odds to justify those who had kept the faith.

Bergerson's disappointment was that the mare's Opunake owners Des and Kay Fleming were not at Trentham, but that was not because of any lack of faith.

"I tried to convince them to be at Trentham, but Kay said rain was predicted and that I'd probably end up late scratching her if that happened.

"But in reality, Kay has just had an eye operation and with the pair in their late 70s, it was probably not the day to be there. They have a horse in at Woodville on Tuesday so I will see them then."

Bergerson said he had yet to make a decision about an $500,000 Barfoot and Thompson Auckland Cup start, but that was a strong possibility.

Jacksstar was huge in finishing second and his reward will not be far away.

?Hugh Bowman took a deep breath of relief after winning on Olympic Academy at Randwick on Saturday.

He came close to costing himself about $100,000.

Bowman eased Olympic Academy down in the closing strides and Sabino and Peter Wells flashed up to be only a head behind at the finish.

Stewards told Bowman that had he been beaten he would have missed at least the first half of the Sydney Autumn Carnival, including two rides on champion mare Winx.

Bowman will be at Ellerslie this Sunday to ride well fancied Padraig in the $1 million Karaka Million.

The horseman put his hands in the air. "I made a genuine mistake."

It's not one he makes often.