By Heather Anderson
The first New Zealand Group 1 of the season kicks off at Hastings on Sept. 2, with the renamed NZ$200,000 1400m G1 Tarzino Trophy (formerly the Makfi Challenge S.) Six-time Group 1 winner Kawi (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) is hunting for his third consecutive victory in the race and faces no less than seven other top-shelf winners in the over-subscribed field of 16. The 7-year-old gelding enters off a third-place run to Underthemoonlight (NZ) (El Hermano {NZ}) in the Aug. 19 G2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate going 1200m in heavy conditions.
However, the role of favourite goes to once-beaten MGSW Volpe Veloce (Aus) (Foxwedge {Aus}), who will be testing the waters at Group 1 level for the first time and warmed up with a Te Rapa handicap victory over 1200 metres on Aug. 5. The Graham Richardson trainee won her first seven starts, including the Listed NZB Insurance Karaka 3yo Mile at Ellerslie Jan. 29. She failed to stay when fourth trying 2000 metres in the G2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic a month later to subsequent G1 New Zealand Oaks/G1 Australian Oaks heroine Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi {GB}).
“You start thinking too much and stressing about the weather,” Richardson told www.nzracing.co.nz regarding the Slow7 track at Hastings, while more rain is in the cards. “She's well, we've done what we have to do and what will be, will be. She galloped on Tuesday at Matamata and did not handle the wet conditions at all, but Matamata is very heavy and Hastings is a different story.”
Two G1 New Zealand Derby heroes will also take their place in the Tarzino lineup. 2016 Derby victor Rangipo (Aus) (Stryker {Aus}) is joined by fan favourite and eventual 2017 G1 Rosehill Guineas scorer Gingernuts (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}). The latter, a Te Akau Racing colourbearer, ran fifth after a wide trip in the G1 Australian Derby on April Fool's Day and has not graced the racecourse since.
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