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The New Zealand-bred filly becomes the first stakes winner for Waikato Stud’s Tivaci
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Never Been Kissed (3 f ex Movie by Savabeel) caused an upset in Saturday's Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m), becoming the first stakes and Group One winner for Waikato Stud’s Tivaci (High Chaparral).
"The Flight Stakes was our first Group One in partnership, so it will always be a special race for us," Bott said.
"This is where it all started for us with Global Glamour."
Raced by Gary and Mark Chittick, Never Been Kissed ($41) settled handy to the speed under Regan Bayliss and finished strongly to defeat Hinged (Worthy Cause) by a short neck with Startantes (Star Turn), who started favourite, another two lengths away.
"We just thought she would be a nice filly once she got out to this sort of trip," Bott said.
"She didn't quite have the brilliance of these fillies, or wasn't quite seasoned enough to be taking them on over the shorter, sharper trips. We were able to link in once she got over a bit further.
"I thought she ran well in the Tea Rose. Unfortunately, she was caught wide and covered plenty of ground. They weren't making up much ground that day, so I felt she stuck on very well."
Bott said that the filly's breeding gave him confidence coming to Randwick today.
"We always had that confidence in her coming here that being bred out of New Zealand and off such a great farm she would always have that great constitution and great foundation to come here and run a strong mile race," he said.
"It is fantastic to get a result for the team there at Waikato Stud, for the stallion Tivaci and for everyone involved. It is fantastic to have an opportunity to train such a nice filly.
"She holds an entry for the Thousand Guineas, so whether we take her down to Melbourne next week we'll have to weigh up that option. Next preparation I'm sure she can stretch out a bit further off the back of today," Bott said.
Never Been Kissed is the first foal out of winning Savabeel (Zabeel) mare Movie who was trained by David Hayes and Tom Dabernig for Mark and Gary Chittick. Her second dam is Group Three winner and Group One placed mare Tootsie (Pins) who is also the dam of multiple Group Two winner Ocean Emperor (Zabeel). This is also the family of three-time Group One winner Probabeel (Savabeel).
Never Been Kissed’s Sacred Falls (O’Reilly) half-brother is catalogued as Lot 218 at the forthcoming New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale.
Tivaci has two crops of racing age and Never Been Kissed is one of six winners for the sire and his first Group One winner. Tivaci is standing for a fee of NZ$12,500 (plus GST) this year.