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South Island racing celebrated its standouts of the 2021-22 season with the 27th South Island Racing Awards at Riccarton on Friday, and Go Racing’s quality gelding Hasabro (NZ) (Savabeel) stole the show.
Bought for $220,000 from Waikato Stud's draft at the 2017 Premier Sale at Karaka, Hasabro was named the South Island's Horse of the Year and Champion Miler.
From 10 starts during the 2021-22 season, the Andrew Carston-trained Hasabro won four races, headed by the Group Three White Robe Lodge (1600m) at Wingatui in February. He also finished fourth in the Group One WFA Classic (1600m) at Otaki, along with the Listed Easter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton.
A second black-type victory during the season, in the Listed Hazlett Stakes (1200m) at Wingatui, earned Hasabro an additional nomination in the Champion Sprinter category.
Hasabro was bred by Waikato Stud in partnership with Isabelle O'Shea. A full-brother to the Group One winner Hasahalo (NZ) (Savabeel), Hasabro has had a total of 41 starts for eight wins, 12 placings and more than $297,000 in stakes.
Hasabro is now based in Australia with trainer Annabel Neasham, for whom he finished third in the Listed Tattersall's Members Cup (1350m) at Doomben on September 3.
The other NZB graduate honoured during the South Island Awards was Live Drama (NZ) (Ghibellines), who won the title of Champion Sprinter.
Trained by Lance Robinson, Live Drama had eight starts last season for a win in the Listed Great Easter Stakes (1400m), second placings in the Group Three Stewards' Stakes (1200m) and Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m), a third in the Listed Timaru Stakes (1400m) and fourth in the Hazlett Stakes.
The consistent mare also ventured north for a shot at the Group One Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, finishing a close sixth in an extraordinary race where all of the top three – Levante (NZ) (Proisir), Roch 'N' Horse (NZ) (Per Incanto) and Mascarpone (NZ) (Shooting To Win) – won Group One races over the following few weeks.
Live Drama was bred by Brian and Lorraine Anderton, who offered her under their White Robe Lodge banner at the 2018 South Island Sale. She was bought for a mere $8,500 by the No.8 Syndicate.
From 22 career starts, Live Drama has now recorded seven wins and six placings, earning $172,240 in stakes – more than 20 times her purchase price.
