Horse racing: The crazy hour which changed setting for NZ's greatest thoroughbred

Craig Grylls has La Crique out on her own as she takes out the Gr.2 AJC Avondale Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie Photo/Trish Dunell

Derby king Vinnie Colgan finds himself in the scarcely believable position of having finished last in the Avondale Guineas on Saturday but now being on the hot favourite La Crique the $1million Vodafone Derby next week.

That was the wash up from a crazy hour in which the picture of our greatest thoroughbred race changed dramatically with plenty of gaps still to be filled tomorrow.

The boldest brush strokes came from Matamata filly La Crique, who demolished her Avondale Guineas opponents in the hands of Craig Grylls.

With Grylls having won two of the last three Derbys he looked the man for the job for this year's running on March 5 but he was promptly suspended for careless riding after tightening rivals going into the first bend.

He pleaded guilty so if he appeals it is likely to only be against the severity of the sentence and unless he won a staggering victory or the hearing was delayed and he could ride on a stay of proceedings, Grylls won't be riding in the Derby.

That saw La Crique's trainers Simon and Katrina Alexander offer the La Crique ride in the Derby to Colgan, who has ridden La Crique to win before and he accepted tonight.

Colgan actually rode the Alexanders-trained Te Toki in the Guineas but he finished last so jumping saddle to La Crique is the ultimate upgrade.

While that would usually have been an easy decision the rider-go-round was more confusing because Colgan rode Pinarello to bolt away with the rating65 staying event just 40 minutes after the Guineas and minutes later he was second favourite for the Derby.

To complicate matters further Pinarello is co-trained by Roger James, who has been one of Colgan's greatest supporters and who trained Colgan's first three Derby winners.

So Colgan has gone from Guineas loser to an embarrassment of Derby riches but ultimately the raw class of La Crique won out and he confirmed her as his Derby ride tonight.

"They are both great chances but she has some real x-factor and smashed one of the strongest Avondale Guineas fields we have seen in a long time," said Colgan.

"I would have been happy to be on either and it was a really tough choice."

That means Pinarello will need a new jockey and he is owned by Brendan and Jo Lindsay, whose retained rider Leith Innes is currently engaged for Marchand, who was a strong third in the Guineas from a poor draw.

Innes says he will be happy to be on either one the Lindsays want him to ride.

At least they are all likely to be in the Derby, which is far from certain for two of the other favourites The Perfect Pink and Field Of Gold.

Trainer Jamie Richards was hardly enthused by The Perfect Pink's battling sixth after an ideal trip in the Guineas and to make matters worse star jockey Opie Bosson was also suspended for careless riding earlier in the programme and will miss the Derby.

It seems likely The Perfect Pink will too, with the NZ Oaks two weeks later at Trentham now a more likely group one goal.

Also heading to Trentham instead of the Derby could be Waikato Guineas winner Field Of Gold, who was a brave fifth but trainer Tony Pike thinks the gelding will struggle to improve on that stepping up an extra 300m for the Derby.

He could change tack and head to the Levin Classic, that to be confirmed this week.