High-flying Tavistock mare Snazzytavi boosted her top-flight prospects with a hollow second-up victory at Te Rapa.
A dynamic winner of the G3 Easter Handicap in the autumn, our lightly tried five-year-old had found the pace too hot in her unplaced resuming run in the G1 Tarzino Trophy and appreciated the step up to 1600 metres.
Expertly prepared by Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall, she settled sixth on the fence and came through closest to the rail under regular rider Warren Kennedy in the run to the judge to power clear of her rivals.
“She won easing up, she was so impressive. I am absolutely rapt for the horse and the connections,” Richardson said.
Snazzytavi is now likely to return to the Hawke’s Bay carnival for the G1 Livamol Classic, for which she is he joint $7 second favourite.
“At this stage, that is the plan, she obviously deserves a crack,” Richardson said.
“It’s not easy this time of year when you go up from 1400 to 1600 and 2000 metres straight away.
“It’s not ideal, you would like more of a build-up but the Livamol only comes around once a year.”
Snazzytavi was bred by Gordon Cunningham's Suncroft Bloodstock and we purchased her privately out of the trials.
She is a daughter of the Zabeel mare Ritzy Lady, who won six races including the Listed New Zealand St Leger and finished runner-up in the G2 Counties Cup.