Former Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) favourite Hawea has been withdrawn from the southern classic and will head for a freshen-up following her last-placed finish in the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
The Hellbent filly had been eye-catching in her previous two starts this season, winning both the Listed Chittick Family Fillies Classic (1100m) at Taupo and Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings.
She was duly backed into a $2.60 favourite for the Soliloquy Stakes but was fractious to load and jarred up in the running and faded to finish last. Following the race, trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall, along with her owners, have elected to pull pin on a southern campaign.
“She jarred up and was quite tender in her knees, which was obviously disappointing, and with vet’s advice we have decided not to go down to Christchurch,” Richardson said.
“We have got to get her mindset right as well. She is doing things wrong and not walking up to the gates. Once she is in there, she is as good as gold, it is just getting in there.
“If she has any vices, that is the only one because she is the quietest horse in the world around the stable, she is an absolute darling to do anything with. We need to get that ironed out and she has to go back to the trials before she goes to the races.”
Richardson said she won’t head to the paddock for long, and while her next target has yet to be settled, the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on December 19 looms as an obvious target.
“She won’t go out for long. I have got to sit down with the owners and work out where we go,” Richardson said.
“That (Eulogy) is a mile in December, and we will be wanting to get her mindset right first and she would obviously need a run before then.”
While Trentham is a fair trek from Matamata, the travel poses no concerns for Richardson.
“She handled Hastings so well, going down and back on the same day,” he said. “That is a big effort for a filly, and it didn’t bother her at all.”
While Hawea has been ruled out of the New Zealand 1000 Guineas, Richardson is still hopeful of being represented in next month’s Riccarton feature by Cambridge Stud filly Joyeuse.
The daughter of Sword of State has finished runner-up in both of her starts to date and will bid to go one better when she lines-up over the looming long weekend at either Ellerslie on Saturday or in the Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Te Rapa on Labour Day Monday.
Richardson is also looking forward to the debut of fellow three-year-old filly Hotere in the Donagy’s Pro Dairy Maiden 1150 at Te Aroha on Wednesday.
Out of Matauri Bay, Hotere is named after artist Ralph Hotere, who painted a picture of the same name, which Richardson has hanging up at his home.
“I have got it at home, and we were talking about it and thought that was a good name for her,” he said. “She can seriously gallop. She has drawn awkwardly (16), but she might come in a few.”
Meanwhile, Richardson said his Group One performer Lollapalooza has continued to progress nicely since her last start fifth placing over a mile at Matamata, and he is looking forward to her returning to the races at the end of the month.
“She got trapped three wide at her last start with plenty of weight on her back, and it was a very strong field,” he said. “She has definitely improved.
“She is very well and she is either going to head to Tauranga on the 31st or the Feilding Cup on the same day.”