The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) will have his final race in the A$1.2 million Gr.2 The Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday, before retiring to stand at Highview Stud in New Zealand.
The six-year-old will retire as a Group One winner over a mile, multiple stakes winner on both sides of the Tasman and dual New Zealand Stayer of the Year with over $2.7 million in stakes earnings.
However, trainer Andrew Forsman thinks he’s a good chance of adding one last feature win to his already impressive resume, following an unlucky run for fifth in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2100m) last start.
“He’s come through the Doomben Cup really well,” he said. “We freshened him up going into it so we were a little bit nervous that he hadn’t quite done enough work, but he was up to the mark and that run should have him spot on for Saturday.
“He’s definitely right up to them and in a more genuinely run affair with a little bit more luck when he needs it, he’s going to be right in the mix.”
A versatile and durable horse, The Chosen One followed his winning debut as a three-year-old with a win in the Listed Zacinto Stakes (1600m) and completed his classic year with wins in the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2000m) and Gr.3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) and a fourth placing in the Gr.1 ATC Derby (2400m).
At four-years-old he won the Gr.2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) and placed in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) and Gr.1 Haunui Farm WFA Group One Classic (1600m).
Last season he finished fourth in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) behind winner Twilight Payment and placed in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), where he was beaten a length by champion mare Verry Elleegant and English Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck.
This season he has won the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m), ran another great race for fifth in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), placed in the Gr.1 Tancred Stakes (2400m), Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m), Gr.1 Bonecrusher Stakes (2000m), Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m), Gr.2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) and finished fourth in the Gr.1 Underwood Stakes (1800m).
“He raced in very strong company in Australia and always performed consistently,” Murray Baker, who trained the entire in partnership with Forsman until his retirement in April, said.
“He was an honest performer, very sound and he had an excellent temperament. He was a pleasure to train.”
The Chosen One’s peak Timeform rating of 118, makes him the highest rated son of Savabeel to stand at stud in New Zealand, with only Lucia Valentina, Probabeel, Mo’unga and Kawi (all rated 121) and Sangster (119) ahead of him.
The Chosen One was bred by the Dennis Brothers of Southland. By champion stallion Savabeel out of their multiple race winning and five-times stakes performed Flying Spur mare The Glitzy One, from a family they have cultivated for generations that includes champion filly The Jewel as well as Group One winners La Diosa and The Perfect Pink.
“He’s by a champion sire and out of one of the best female families in the stud book, being out of The Glitzy One, who is by Flying Spur who was also a champion sire,” Baker said.
The Chosen One is raced by a group of successful New Zealand breeders who will all remain in his ownership at stud ensuring his breeding career will get off to a great start with the support of their top-quality mares.
“He’s obviously very well bred, the bloodlines speak for themselves, and he’s been a good genuine and sound racehorse with a great constitution and that’s what people should be looking to breed,” Forsman said.
“He’s a very attractive horse, he’s got good conformation and a great demeanour but physically he’s just a neat, straight forward, athletic horse.”
The Chosen One offers remarkable value to breeders as the best performed son of Savabeel to stand at stud in New Zealand at a fee of just $4,000 +GST with a live foal guarantee.
The Chosen One will stand alongside Wrote (High Chaparral) who remains at $5,000 +GST for the 2022 breeding season.
