IAN Swain believed Saab Quality was a potential top grader as a young horse but along the way the gelding has given his owner-trainer cause to reconsider his original appraisal.
But at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart on Sunday night the gelded son of Saab produced the goods to easily account for a C1 field over 2090 metres.
Saab Quality was well handled by talented novice driver Alex Ashwood who allowed the four-year-old to settle near the rear before moving him into the race with a lap to go.
Inchbyinch set a solid pace with Ashinaga on his outside and Taspacedotcom trailing the leaders.
When Inchbyinch capitulated nearing the home turn and Ashinaga ran to the front it looked for a fleeting moment as if that horse might register his first win since June but when young Ashwood called on Saab Quality for the supreme effort he quickly gathered in the leaders.
Saab Quality went on to score by almost four metres from Ashinaga with Taspacedotcom a half-head astern.
The son of talented trainer-driver Rod Ashwood and Paige Ashwood, Alex could outdrive his novice claim within 12 months.
The limit is 30 wins and in Ashwood’s case he could still be only 16 when he outdrives his claim so the push by some industry participants to increase the limit to 50 has some merit.
In Victoria a novice driver can accrue up to 200 wins over five years before losing the claim but there are at least 15 meetings a week compared to an average of 1.6 meetings a week in Tasmania.
It was Saab Quality’s fifth win from 23 starts but he also has managed to notch 10 minor placings for stakes of almost $30,000.
Listen to what trainer-owner Ian Swain had to say about Saab Quality’s latest win – click here.