SAGA CLOSING! REAL SAGA currently holds a commanding lead in the battle for the Champion First Season Sire title by earnings, courtesy of his outstanding daughter Real Surreal’s win in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic, however the exceptionally promising young stallion has also signalled he will certainly be a force to be reckoned with in relation to the number of winners title as well.
Before the weekend’s racing, Sebring lead with six winners whilst Real Saga and Northern Meteor, who had both chalked up three, sat in second position. However, on Sunday at Ballarat, Real Saga had his first runner outside of his home state of Queensland – and the Mathew Ellerton, Simon Zara trained gelding Epic Saga did not let his big team of owners down.
Described by Ellerton at this stage of his development as “a big raw bugger”, Epic Saga jumped well to share the lead before putting his opposition away in the straight and registering a really promising victory.
“He has had a couple of trials at home but is learning all of the time,” Ellerton said. “Today he still had very little idea in the running and it has not clicked with him what it is all about yet.
“He has so much natural ability and I think he will make a really nice horse once he matures and can get out to 1400m and a mile.
“It was great to come here and win on debut and I am sure he will take plenty of benefit from the experience.
“It was only pure ability that got him home today and he has an exciting future.”
The victory by Epic Saga took his sire’s record to 4 winners from just 10 starters, a winning strike rate that is by far and away the envy of his rivals. With prizemoney earnings in excess of $1.36million Real Saga has a 40% winning strike rate and leads Sebring on $330,000 (with 6 winners from 21 starters – 28.5%) and Northern Meteor on $205,000 (with 3 winners from 13 starters – 23%).
It is a battle that looks set to go down to the wire.
