12 Oct 2024Our pride and joy Snazzytavi crowned her meteoric rise to the top with an emphatic victory in the G1 Livamol Classic at Te Rapa.
The Tavistock mare was making just her 13th career appearance and had no trouble overcoming the outside barrier to be in a league of her own at the end of 2040 metres, delivering her seventh success.
Snazzytavi has been expertly handled for us by Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall and was given a gem of a ride by Warren Kennedy, who was able to settle the five-year-old back of midfield and one off the fence.
“I was a little bit skeptical from the draw and her first time at weight-for-age, but she is a mare who is improving all the time,” Kennedy said.
“It was pretty special and she quickened really smartly. I was right behind Campionessa and One Bold Cat to get a trail into the race and she just put them to bed between the 400 and 200.
“I think she can now compete in these big Group 1 weight-for-age races and be a live contender in any race she lines up in.”
The winner of last season’s G3 Easter Handicap, Snazzytavi had improved across the top and when Kennedy asked her for the supreme effort, she quickly put the issue beyond doubt to waltz home by three and a-half lengths.
“I’m just so chuffed for the horse, she’s very, very good and she’ll only get better,” Richardson said.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better ride, it was awesome. All Group 1s are special and this one is another massive thrill.”
Richardson, who has prepared 11 winners at the highest level, said Snazzytavi had now earned a break.
“We’ll sit down with Brendan and Jo and the team to see what we do,” he said.
Snazzytavi was bred by Gordon Cunningham under his Suncroft Bloodstock banner and we purchased her privately out of the trials.
“It’s fantastic, because it means we have another Group 1 mare to come to the farm,” Brendan Lindsay said.
“You always need a bit of luck in this game and we had it this week. Having the race moved from Hastings to Te Rapa was bad luck for some people, but good luck for us because our horse loves this track. She’s had four starts here now for four wins.”
Snazzytavi 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.