Snazzytavi, Orchestral out of Herbie Dyke, La Crique now favourite

Snazzytavi (gold/black) winning at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. Photo / Kenton Wright / Race Images

New Zealand’s summer of weight-for-age racing changed twice in a morning of high drama involving two racing glamour girls on Wednesday.

While the withdrawal of exceptional mare Orchestral from Saturday’s $700,000 Herbie Dyke at Te Rapa had been flagged by her trainers, what came from totally out of left field was hot favourite Snazzytavi also being pulled out of the Group 1 showpiece of Legend’s Day.

Co-trainer Graham Richardson withdrew his last-start Zabeel Classic winner on Wednesday, just 24 hours after she had thrilled him with a sparkling piece of trackwork.

“She worked very well [Tuesday] and we were very happy but she started to show signs of lethargy that afternoon,” Richardson told the Herald.

“We monitored her and this morning her temperature had spiked so there is obviously something off but we don’t quite know what yet.

“So she is out of this Saturday and is likely to also miss the Bonecrusher Stakes (at Ellerslie on March 8).

“She could even go for a break but we will know more in a few days.

“But it is really gutting.”

Snazzytavi has emerged as New Zealand’s best middle-distance horse with wins in the Livamol Classic and the Zabeel Classic and had been as short at $1.80 to win the Herbie Dyke.

Her withdrawal came just hours after trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood decided to also pull Orchestral out of the Herbie Dyke in favour of starting in the Sport Nation Otaki-Maori Classic at Ellerslie on February 22.

They see that as a more suitable lead-up the $1m Bonecrusher NZ Stakes on Champions Day.

“We had already made our decision so won’t be changing it even though we had the option to go to the Herbie Dyke when we heard Snazzytavi had pulled out,” co-trainer Robert Wellwood said.

“We feel for them because you don’t like to see good horses miss their big races but we can only really worry about our mare and we think the 1600m up to the 2000m of the Bonecrusher is the best path for her.” The dramatic morning left La Crique as the big winner and now $2.30 favourite for the Herbie Dyke, her chances improving further when she drew barrier 1.

“We were going into the race thinking a top 3 would be a great result because those other two are also very, very good mares,” co-trainer Simon Alexander said.

“But now things have changed and obviously with them not being there makes it a bit easier for all the horses who are.

“Our mare is going in fresh because she hasn’t raced since the Zabeel but we think that is the best thing for her as she is also being aimed at the Bonecrusher.

“We know exactly how they feel, we have missed our share of big races in the last two years and it is bloody hard. But that is racing.”

The 10-strong Herbie Dyke still contains six Group 1 winners, as well as Australian newcomer Numerian, with last Saturday’s impressive Ellerslie winner El Vencedor the $3.10 second favourite.

As good as the Herbie Dyke will be, race of the day, and maybe even the entire New Zealand season so far, must go to the $500,000 BCD Sprint two races later.

The 1400m Group 1 could have a huge impact on everything from the future commercial stud worth of Savaglee and Australian raider Bosustow to New Zealand Horse of the Year voting.

While there is a lot of racing between now and the end of the season if Grail Seeker can win on Saturday she will have remarkably won a Group 1 in all of her only three starts this season and be the early clubhouse leader for the Horse of the Year title.

But if Savaglee can triumph in his first clash with the older horses and then in his major aim, the Australian Guineas on March 1, not only will his value skyrocket but so, too, would his Horse of the Year aspirations.

Add in Victorian standout Here To Strike, Group 1 winners Waitak and Mercurial and a support cast of most of our other elite sprinters and the BCD has become one of the most anticipated races of the season.

Saturday’s Legends Day meeting also hosts the $350,000 Sir Patrick Hogan Karapiro Classic, the $275,000 Ellis Classic and the $275,000 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas as well as having some of New Zealand’s great retired gallopers on track as part of the Legends Day theme.

Legend’s Day at Te Rapa

When: This Saturday, first race 12.30pm.

What: Waikato Thoroughbred Racing’s glamour meeting of the year.

Who: At least 10 Group 1 winners and three visiting Australian gallopers.

Highlights: $700,000 Herbie Dyke Stakes, $500,000 BCD Sprint, $350,000 Sir Patrick Hogan Karapiro Classic, $275,000 David And Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic, $275,000 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas.

Bonus: Some of New Zealand’s great retired gallopers, such as Mufhasa and Seachange will be honoured on track.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.