Wrong rub of the grey

When is a grey horse not grey?

The question was raised this week when New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing officials moved quickly to scratch a horse from the special conditions race for grey horses at New Plymouth on Saturday.

Wooden Edge, trained at Cambridge by Chris Wood for a syndicate of owners, was entered for the $40,000 feature but removed when the validity of his colour came under investigation.

In some publications Wooden Edge, who birdcage observers would be well aware is bay in colour, is described as brown or grey.

That’s confusing and a result of the mare’s return done by the breeder when Wooden Edge was a foal and registered as a brown or grey.

The subsequent veterinary identification certificate correctly ascertained he was bay and that is the document NZTR rules on.

‘‘One of the owners alerted me to the fact he’s described as grey or brown in race books and some other publications,’’ Wood said. ‘‘So we thought this was an ideal race for him and threw in a nomination.

‘‘He must have had a grey fleck in him when he was born but when we were told he’s officially a bay we were fine with the decision to scratch him.

‘‘We’ll take it with a grain of salt - it was quite funny really - and we’ll find another race for him.’’

As Wood rightly suggests, the Powerworx Greys (1400m) would have been an ideal race for the son of Have No Fear but in his absence the steely grey Von Tunzelman from Roger James’ Cambridge stable will run as favourite.

The Zabeel gelding ran a slashing fresh-up third at Ellerslie three weeks ago and has won over 1400m previously.

Von Tunzelman ($1.85) will be ridden by Lisa Allpress.