Racing: Gingernuts team weigh Livamol return

Volkstok'n'barrell will likely remain at home. Photo / Race Images

The connections of Gingernuts will take their time before committing to a start in the rescheduled Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m).

Their Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) hopes were dashed when the Hastings meeting on Saturday was abandoned before the weight-for-age event could be run.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and the Hawke's Bay Club have announced the Livamol Classic will now be run at Hawke's Bay on October 22.

It replaces the meeting originally scheduled for Otaki where a track inspection deemed the track was unlikely to be fit for racing at Labour weekend.

"We can control a lot of things, but not the weather and when we left Hastings this morning it was bucketing down," Te Akau principal David Ellis said.

"We need to now decide whether the Livamol is the best way forward for Gingernuts to the Emirates Stakes, which is now worth A$2 million ($2.2m), on the last day of the Melbourne Cup carnival. I will need to discuss it with the owners and then we will make our decision."

Ellis did, however, confirm that stablemate Chance To Dance, a last-start winner of the Listed Karaka Classic (1600m), would contest the rescheduled Livamol Classic.

New entries will be taken for the Livamol on Tuesday, October 17.

"We believe that this has been the best possible outcome, following the disappointment we all felt on Saturday afternoon," Hawke's Bay Racing chief executive Andrew Castles said.

The Group 3 Red Badge Spring Sprint (1400m) has also been incorporated into the programme.

Stake increases have also been announced for three other races -- the Rating 85 2100m will rise from $30,000 to $40,000, as will the Rating 85 1600m and the Rating 75 1400m will be increased from $25,000 to $40,000.

The balance of the programme will comprise a Rating 65 2100m, a Pearl Series Rating 65 1600m, a Rating 65 1200m and a maiden 1600m.

NZTR has also announced that there will be a $200 compensation payment made to the owners of each of the 62 horses who missed a start at Hastings. All fees, including the early payments, will be refunded for the horses who were final acceptors for the Livamol.

Meanwhile, the rescheduled Livamol Classic looks like keeping Volkstok'n'barrell at home for the time being.

Saturday's abandonment has placed the multiple Group 1 winner's spring programme somewhat in limbo.

"I was going to send him to Sydney to race next weekend, but the flight is going through Christchurch which makes it even longer," said Donna Logan, who trains the son of Tavistock with Chris Gibbs.

"That wouldn't be ideal for him after going down to Hastings and back."

Volkstok'n'barrell added to his Group 1 tally earlier this year when he won the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa following previous successes in the Rosehill Guineas (2000m), the Haunui Farm Classic (1600m) and in the New Zealand Stakes (2000m).

This season, he finished in behind the placegetters when resuming under 64.5kg in an open sprint at Ruakaka and was then a close fifth in the Group 1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at Hastings last month.

- NZ Racing Desk