Cambridge Stud are hoping Snazzytavi will continue to draw on all her fighting qualities to win out in her battle against illness.
The multiple Group One-winning daughter of Tavistock is currently doing as well as can be expected, receiving the best of local and international care.
“She remains at Matamata Vets where she has been for the last three or four weeks and has had an acute episode of laminitis, which is a chronic condition,” Cambridge’s Chief Executive Officer Henry Plumptre said.
“They got on to it pretty quickly and engaged the services of a Kentucky vet, Scott Morrison, who is overseeing her rehab and she’s got a very good team at MVS looking after her.
“She’s got to the point now where she is out in a small paddock for six hours a day and able to walk around and got specialists shoes on and casts on her front legs for support.
“She is bright and eating and drinking well and it’s now a case of waiting for the inflammation to disappear.”
The stud is banking on Snazzytavi’s makeup to be a vital contributor to her recovery.
“What makes her a little bit different to a lot of horses that contract laminitis is that she has an amazing constitution, she’s very tough and her mental state is good,” Plumptre said.
“She is doing as well as she can possibly be, she’s very unlikely to return to a racecourse but she is obviously a very valuable breeding prospect.”
Snazzytavi won nine of her 15 starts for trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall, including Group One victories in the Zabeel Classic (2000m) and Livamol Classic (2040m).
On a brighter note, the stud’s crack Australian-based mare Joliestar is progressing well toward another elite level assignment while plans are afoot for recent acquisition Pivotal Ten to also cross the Tasman later this year.
Trained by Chris Waller, Joliestar won last season’s Gr.1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield and last time out blitzed her rivals in the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.
“She’s back in Sydney for the TJ Smith (Gr.1, 1200m) and then she’ll probably have a break,” Plumptre said.
“There’s been a lot of talk about Ascot, but that’s probably a bridge too far at the moment and our feeling is that if she’s to have a crack at another big target, then it’s likely to be The Everest in the spring.”
Cambridge Stud purchased a 50 per cent holding in Pivotal Ten from owner Colin Wightman following a hat-trick of southern Listed wins for trainer-rider Samantha Wynne and was unplaced in The NZB Kiwi (1500m) in her first run beyond 1400m.
“The target wasn’t just the Kiwi, from a Cambridge Stud perspective it was more about the long-term future,” Plumptre said.
“She’s a very good-looking filly and I think next year as a four-year-old she’ll probably be a six-furlong mare, that would be her specialist trip for me.
“The likelihood is that she will go to Australia and be trained there for the spring.
“She flew back to Christchurch after The Kiwi for a spell and it’s sensible that she be in Melbourne to kick off her next preparation.”
Meanwhile, Jaarffi has also gone for a deserved break following her close second in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1600m).
“She’s probably a little unlucky not to be a Group One winner and has always been a difficult mare to train, from the point of view of keeping condition on her,” Plumptre said.
“As a five-year-old, this is the first time she’s stood up to the training regime. Lance (Noble) has done a fantastic job with her, and she’ll race on and there will be some lovely races for her around that mile trip.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.
