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Savvy Victory produced a surprise victory in the Listed Gala Stakes at Sandown Park on Friday for trainer Sean Wood.
A 9/1 shot, Savvy Victory missed the start and became significantly detached in the early stages having to be ridden along by jockey Tom Marquand with the Royal runner Saga taking the role of pacemaker. As the group of four left the back straight, Savvy Victory had caught up with the remainder of the field but it looked to be a battle between the front pair, Saga and Poker Face as they entered the straight. Savvy Victory continued to make steady headway and managed to take the lead as they entered the final furlong, drawing clear for a cosy victory with Poker Face and Saga filling the second and third places.
It is Savvy Victory's first success at Listed level and the victory represents Sean Wood's sixteenth winner of the season.
In a post-race interview with Racing TV, trainer Sean Woods said: "It was a race that was made for us really because he could sit out the back and with four runners, he could come into the race in his own time. It's not really the ground he wants but we've got away with it today.
"It's drying out, I went to walk it after the Marathon and if there had been eight or nine runners, he wouldn't have been running today so I'm happy we did, I'm happy he's won and delighted – the horse deserves it, he really deserves it."