Standout middle-distance mare Snazzytavi is set to shoot for a Group One treble after pleasing her connections at Thursday’s Pukekohe trials.
Racing in the colours of Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay, the daughter of Tavistock has won four of her five starts this season including top-flight triumphs in the Livamol Classic (2040m) at Te Rapa in October and the Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. She also won the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) in early December.
Snazzytavi’s next assignment is the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 8, for which the TAB rates her a red-hot favourite at $1.70. She is unbeaten in five starts at the Hamilton course.
Trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall kept the five-year-old up to the mark with a hitout over 1300m at Pukekohe on Thursday, in which she finished second behind Short Shorts.
“I was delighted with that trial,” Richardson said. “We just wanted to give her a nice, quiet trial. I was very happy with the way she went, and even happier with how she pulled up. We’re right on target for the Herbie Dyke, which can’t come soon enough.”
In the meantime, Richardson and Norvall will saddle two runners during the star-studded Karaka Millions twilight meeting at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Group One-winning mare Bonny Lass will contest the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m), attempting to go one better than a luckless second when the northern sprint feature was run at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day last year.
Bonny Lass was a last-start sixth in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, with Richardson rating her performance much better than it might look on paper.
“I thought that was a top run,” he said. “She was in the worst part of the track but stuck on really well, while others in the same part of the track faded out of it. We were very proud of her. She’s come through it in great order and we couldn’t be happier with her.”
Richardson and Norvall’s other Ellerslie runner is Romilly in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m). The daughter of So You Think produced an enormous finish from last to run third in the Listed O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui on November 30, finishing only a length behind next-start Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) winner Hitabell. But in the Eight Carat itself, Romilly raced three wide without cover and faded to finish ninth.
“Her run at Wanganui was absolutely huge,” Richardson said. “She had no luck on Boxing Day and we’re trying to forget she even went around.
“We’ve been happy with the horse since then. It’s a very even field on Saturday. She’s got a tricky draw again (gate nine), so we’ll just have to hope for some better luck in the running.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
