Dafodil has firmed in favour for the $400,000 New Zealand Oaks at Trentham on Saturday with the withdrawal of Due Diligence.
Daffodil is at $4.60 with the TAB. Due Diligence, last-start winner of the Sir Tristram Classic at Te Rapa on February 7, was withdrawn after Matamata trainer Andrew Scott was not satisfied with her work.
The $9000 late entry fee for the Oaks was paid for Dutch Striker, Ekstreme and Glamorous Girl with a further $2475 for acceptance.
A placing from sixth to 10th will return owners $4000.
Chris Johnson has the mount on O'Cartier in the Lightning Handicap (1200m) and stablemate Megapins in the Thompson Handicap (1600m) on Saturday.
Catherine Treymane rode O'Cartier to win the Lightning last year when he carried 54kg. He has 58kg on Saturday.
He shares topweight with Hurrah and Our Umaga. Hurrah is now trained by John Kiernan at Te Horo Beach.
Hurrah has not raced since October.
He won the group three Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill in September for his Christchurch owners when trained in Sydney by Chris Waller.
The Bahhare gelding, now seven, won eight races including the gr one Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham and the gr Merial Metric Mile at Awapuni in 2005 when trained at Riccarton by Shane Kennedy.
Craig Grylls has been engaged to ride Halobelle in the Lightning Handicap.
•Troy Harris has been disqualified for three months and Leith Innes fined $1850 after positives to drug testing of jockeys at the Matamata meeting on February 21.
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing stated in a release that Harris and Innes appeared before the Judicial Control Authority committee at Te Rapa on Monday.
Harris was disqualified for three months from February 25 and ordered to pay costs of $970 after testing positive to cannabis.
Innes was fined $1850 with $250 costs in relation to the diuretic, frusemide.
Submissions were made by NZTR that a period of disqualification should be supplemented with a period of suspension rather than a rider not having had the opportunity to ride in track work and trials.
This was endorsed by the JCA committee.
NZTR will consider a rule change to allow this to take effect.
