Mo’Unga is the 23rd Gr1 winner for Savabeel winning the Rosehill Guineas (2000m).
Named and part-owned by All Black rugby player Richie Mo’Unga, his equine namesake was waited with worse than midfield to the home turn where he was presented widest of all to come with a sustained run to prevail over Sky Lab and Montefilia.
He is the sixth Gr1 winner for Savabeel out of an O’Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare, like last weekend’s New Zealand Oaks winner Amarelinha.
From 140 rnrs out of O’Reilly mares Savabeel, advertised at $NZ100,000 at Waikato Stud last season, has 20 stakes winners.
Mo’Unga’s dam Chandelier finished second in the Gr3 Lowland Stakes at Hawkes Bay and a sister to Gr2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Counties winner Irlanda and a half-sister to Maverick Star (Desert King), a winner in New Zealand and Hong Kong and Listed-placed in Macau.
Chandelier is also a three-quarter sister to Penny Whistle (O’Reilly), the dam of Listed Oaks Prelude at Taranaki winner Treasure (Mastercraftsman) and to Charmed (O’Reilly), the dam of Gr1 Auckland Cup winner Chenille (Pentire) and Gr2 Rich Hill Mile at Ellerslie winner Chintz (Savabeel).