Nick Ryan has continued his recent run of success with Belle Savoir scoring an impressive first-up victory at Sandown.
Of the last nine runners the Ryan stable has sent to the races it has produced seven winners including a career high four winners at Echuca on March 13.
Belle Savoir was returning from more than a year away from the racetrack to claim the Ladbrokes Switch Handicap (1300m) on Wednesday with Ryan eyeing a potential start in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm in June.
The dam of Belle Savoir, Rathsallagh, finished second to Riva San in that race on heavy ground in 2010.
Ridden by Blaike Mcdougall, Belle Savoir ($11) scored a three-quarter length win from Morean ($4.80) with the $2.10 favourite Adele Amour a further 1-¾ lengths away third.
Belle Savoir had not raced since winning on debut at Ballarat in March 2021, but Ryan was confident the filly had done enough work to run well.
“She’s a classy filly and we’ve got a bit of a plan for her, so it’s good to see her come back and win like that,” Ryan said.
“Her mother Rathsallagh ran second in a Queensland Oaks on a heavy 10 and that’s where she will be heading, all going well.
“We’ll have to sit down and have a think about how we get her there.
“There’s also the Australasian Oaks in Adelaide over 2000 metres, but that may just come up a bit too soon, so we’ll see how she pulls up, but she’s come on a lot in the last couple of weeks and to win like that shows she’s certainly black type.”
Ryan said planning and a lot of hard work from those in the stable had paved the way for the stable’s recent run of success.
“We went quiet over Christmas, but we had a lot getting ready and I knew there was a wave coming, but I just didn’t think it would be this big,” Ryan said.