Savapinski continues a golden run for Gai

Gai Waterhouse has trained Savapinski to win the Group Two Matriarch Stakesat Flemington.

Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott have continued their excellent Melbourne Cup carnival collecting more success on the final day.

Lining up for her seventh race start, Savapinski led throughout to claim Saturdays Group Two Matriarch Stakes.

The victory provided the Waterhouse and Bott stable their fifth win for the carnival, all in stakes races, with a winner on each of the four days at Flemington.

Cismontane started the ball rolling in the Lexus Stakes last Saturday before a double on Tuesday with Setsuna, in the Emirates 100th A180 Stakes and Crown Witness in the Lexus Hybrid Plate.

Pinot provided Waterhouse with her first VRC Oaks when successful on Thursday.

Ridden by Brenton Avdulla, Savapinski was well supported on Saturday from 5.50 to $4.80 before scoring by 2-3/4 lengths from Payroll ($10) with Token Of Love ($21) a length away third.

“She’s a mare on the rise,” Waterhouse said.

“I just felt this race would be a nice target which I’ve had for her for a while and I thought she’d be hard to beat.

“I knew if she used her speed they would not run her down.

“She just skipped away from them. She was like a little bunny rabbit.”

Avdulla said he gained confidence knowing Savapinski would be fit for Saturday’s race.

He said the mare was one-paced but was suited getting out to the 2000m journey.

“She’s so tough and honest and I just let her run,” Avdulla said.

“Gai and Adrian’s horses are flying at the moment and that gives you the confidence to ride them like fit horses and she wasn’t going to stop.

“It’s her first preparation and there’s still plenty of improvement to come.”