In any other year Group One-winning mare Skew Wiff would likely be on her way to the breeding barn; however, with the level of prizemoney now on offer, owner-breeder Mark Chittick of Waikato Stud has decided to continue with her as a racing proposition.
The daughter of Champion New Zealand stallion Savabeel has four wins to her credit to date, including last year’s Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings and Group 3 HKJC Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.
She returned to New Zealand ahead of the new season and impressed her connections with her performances over the early part of spring, including placings in the Group 1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) and Group 2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m).
Off the back of those runs, and the increased prizemoney over summer, including the introduction of the Sport Nation Champion Sprint Series, Chittick elected to keep his five-year-old mare in work with trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson at Matamata following a freshen-up.
“The beauty about Entain and the prizemoney here, and in Australia, it gives a mare like that incentive to race on,” Bergerson said. “There are so many good races for her over summer, especially with that sprint series.
“She raced so well in the spring, we gave her a break and brought her back and Mark (Chittick, Waikato Stud principal) was keen to have another season with her racing.”
Skew Wiff validated Chittick’s decision with a pleasing trial win over 900m at Taupo on Tuesday and is on track to try and add to her elite-level haul over summer.
“We didn’t expect her to trial that well,” Bergerson said. “We were mindful that Waipa is next week, and it could be quite firm, so we brought that trial forward. Opie (Bosson, jockey) said she was so well and so keen, you couldn’t go any quieter on her.
“I am really happy with how she pulled up, she had a good blow and looks fantastic, probably the best she has ever looked.
“She will go onto another trial towards the middle of December and then hopefully onto the Telegraph (Group 1, 1200m) and the Railway (Group 1, 1200m), which look the two logical options for her initially.”
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