Savoire Vivre gelding Robbed is based in NSW with former WA trainer Johnny McNair and he’s also a great ambassador for the Tasmanian breeding industry.  

Robbed won two in a row at Gosford and Randwick’s Kensington course recently and McNair reckons he was unlucky not to complete the hat-trick in Race 1 at Canterbury on Wednesday.

McNair bred Robbed from Upheld (Southern Appeal) who retired after four unplaced runs in Perth in 1997.  “She was a bit of a nut case,” McNair said this week.  “If Savoire Vivre can get a city winner from her then what can he sire from better mares?”

McNair sent Upheld to Armidale Stud to be covered by Savoire Vivre in 2002.  “I tried to talk Gerry Harvey into standing Savoire Vivre in NSW,” McNair recalled this week.  “I think he will sire a top-class horse one day but Gerry listened to the experts and decided not to make an offer.”

McNair has been in the news with 13 year-old marvel Mustard (Vettori) who is a last-start Rosehill winner.  Compared to his stablemate, Robbed is just a seven year-old rookie.  “He’s got more ability than what you see at first glance,” McNair continued.  “But he’s a nervy type of horse and that probably comes from his dam.”

Robbed finished last of seven behind Landlocked yesterday.  The winner is a Zabeel gelding trained by Anthony Cummings for Gerry Harvey!

“He was checked on the home turn and, being such a big bugger, was on the wrong leg for a furlong,” McNair claimed.  “Christian (Reith) said he didn’t balance up until it was too late but he only got beaten a length and a half.”

Robbed has now won 7 races and over $110,000 for McNair who thinks he’s good enough to win a Saturday race in town.

Savoire Vivre has sired 77 winners at a 57% strike-rate.  His other mainland winners include Who’s Ya Daddy (Kyneton & Ararat Cups) and Life To The Full (MRC Pink Ribbon Cup at Caulfield).

Life To The Full was last seen finishing a short-neck second to Majestic Music in the G3 Lee Stakes at Morphettville in May.  Trainer Dave Brunton intends to start him first-up in the Listed Bobbie Lewis Quality at Flemington on September 4.

Savoire Vivre is a son of Sadler’s Wells and was a homebred for Sheikh Mohammed earning black-type in the G2 Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury.  The Armidale Stud resident will be Tasmania’s busiest sire again this year at a $4,400 service fee.