Well-related three-year-old Cheaperthandivorce (Savabeel - Boundless) made the perfect start to her racing career on Wednesday winning the TW Moore 1400 at Rotorua for Roger James and Robert Wellwood.
The daughter of Savabeel had finished second behind subsequent winner Explosively at her only trial performance which lead Wellwood to believe she would put in a good showing on debut.
“We were pleased with her trial leading into the race,” he said.
“The fact that the horse that beat her came out and won at Te Rapa gave us a bit of confidence.
“It was still impressive to see her perform so professionally on Wednesday and see her put them away so easily.”
Ridden by Vinnie Colgan, Cheaperthandivorce jumped smartly and settled just off the pace before showing a ready turn of foot to win by a comfortable 1 ½ lengths.
Cheaperthandivorce is the only filly out of Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Boundless and is raced by her breeders Brent, Cherry and Faith Taylor of Trelawney Stud.
The amusing moniker originates from a trip to the Inglis Broodmare Sale in 2011 where Boundless was being offered at auction to dissolve her racing partnership.
Cherry Taylor, who retained a share in Boundless after selling her as a yearling, was keen to buy the mare to add to the Trelawney Stud broodmare band.
“Brent was at the sales and had been trying to buy a broodmare all day but hadn’t been able to,” Cherry Taylor recalled. “He went to A$700,000 to get Boundless, which at the time was a lot of money, and as he walked out of the ring someone commented to him that it was a lot to spend on a broodmare and Brent replied with ‘it’s cheaper than divorce’.”
There are no set future plans for Cheaperthandivorce though it is hoped she will progress to black-type targets.
Meanwhile Concert Hall (Savabeel - Classic Legacy), who was born and raised at Trelawney Stud for breeder/owner Joan Egan, is preparing for a tilt at Saturday's Gr.1 Rydges Wellington Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham.
Concert Hall heads the TAB's fixed-odds Captain Cook Stakes market at $3.70 ahead of Rock On Wood at $4.20, Prise De Fer at $5, Aimee's Jewel at $6 and Hypnos at $7.
The six-year-old has won eight of her 21 starts, including last year's Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) and October's Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m), both at Trentham.
"You never set plans in concrete," James said.
"Originally we thought we'd go to the Counties Cup (2100m at Pukekohe last month) but she did so well after her previous win and I thought why don't we look at going to the Tauranga Stakes (Gr.2, 1600m) and keep our options open? We can either back up in the Counties Cup or go to the Captain Cook.
"She was so impressive at Tauranga that we've taken the second option, hence why they are clashing."
A winner of five of her 10 starts at 1600m, Concert Hall won last year's Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) at Awapuni and looks to have an exciting future as a stayer but James is happy to take his chances with her at 1600m again at Trentham on Saturday.
"It's a big mile down there, She's been down there twice and won on both occasions over the distance. I'm confident we can get another good mile out of her," James said.
Concert Hall has drawn out in barrier 11 in the 12-horse race.