After taking winning the race in 2021 and finishing as the runner-up last year, Savatoxl has returned to Adelaide to take out his second D C McKay Stakes, leading from barrier to winning post and surviving a late challenge by Larimer Street in the final strides.
The seven-year-old son of Kuroshio was sent back to Will Savage earlier this year, and he took out his first-up start in Alice Springs, before Savage chose to bring him down to Adelaide to have another crack at the Group 1 The Goodwood.
As usual, Savatoxl jumped from the barriers best and took up the lead, and once he found the lead and wasn't pressured, the race looked to be within his keeping a long way from home.
However, with the big weight of 60.5kg, Caitlin Jones had to go for the big boy with 300m to go and he showed his big heart and fight to stave off all the challengers and hold on for a narrow victory.
2023 D C Mckay Stakes Replay – Savatoxl
With the win in the D C McKay Stakes, it gave Savatoxl's trainer Will Savage his first win in the race and he spoke post-race about his star gelding.
“Well, what can you say, he's been good to me all the way along,” Savage said.
“He seemed to be a horse that could run over a mile, and he even broke the track record at Alice Springs over a mile in the Ministers Cup against open horses as a three-year-old.
“When he got too heavy for Alice (Springs), I thought we'll send him down here that (Balaklava) Cup, and he (Tony McEvoy) said ‘nah he is more of a sprinter'.”
Since being with the McEvoy's, Savatoxl won the D C McKay, The Goodwood and the Schillaci Stakes.
Caitlin Jones brought up her best win of her career on this seven-year-old gelding and she was over the moon post-race.
“He's becoming very meaningful this horse,” Jones said with a massive smile on her face.
“He was my first ever Listed winner as a senior rider and now he's my first ever Group 3 winner, so I'm thrilled.
“They've done such a good job with him, he travelled down beautifully, and they said he had eaten up and not missed a beat since being here, and he looked tremendous in the yard.
“I thought the plan would be to run here today and then push onto The Goodwood, so I haven't ridden in The Goodwood either, so good things are happening with this horse.”
Savatoxl is now a $26 chance with online bookmakers in The Goodwood futures markets.