Auckland Cup favourite Vavasour is likely to head to the Ellerslie feature via the weight-for-age Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa.
Vavasour has won the Group Three Counties and Waikato Cups at her last two starts and bypassed the Scot Thrust City Of Auckland Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie on Friday won by Decorah.
“She’s only a four-year-old mare and they can’t go everywhere,” co-trainer Peter Williams said.“If the City of Auckland Cup was a Group One she probably would have run but it’s a Group Three and she would have had to carry 58kg.
“We are keeping her ticking over and she’s a fit horse.“Running her at weight-for-age [in the Herbie Dyke] might not be ideal but it is a Group One. We haven’t got many options and she can be competitive.”
The Herbie Dyke will be run on February 13 with the Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) a month later and another month to the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m).Vavasour, a $425,000 yearling buy, has already been a Group Two winner and the Redoute’s Choice mare would have enormous value if she can record a Group One win.
She is the second foal from the group-winning Red Ransom mare Valpolicella who has quickly made a mark as a broodmare.Valpolicella’s first foal, Vilanova, has been a Group Two winner in Australia and her third foal, the Thorn Park filly Celebrity Dream, has won two from three in Western Australia.
Vavasour is an $8 joint favourite for the Auckland Cup, along with unbeaten Rich Hill Mile winner Hasselhoof.
