Fifth Group 1 win for Avantage in Railway
Fastnet Rock strikes stakes success on both sides of the Tasman with champion Kiwi mare a New Year’s Day highlight
David Ellis’ Te Akau Racing and trainer Jamie Richards dominated Ellerslie’s Christmas Carnival to the extent that anything other than a win to champion mare Avantage (Fastnet Rock) in the Sistema Railway (Gr 1, 1200m) would have been a disappointment.
Of the nine Ellerslie stakes races across Boxing Day and New Year’s Day before the Railway, Richards had won five of them: three in the Te Akau tangerine, taking the Uncle Remus Stakes (Listed, 1400m) with Brando (Savabeel) and the Eight Carat Classic (Gr 2, 1600m) with Amarelinha (Savabeel) last Saturday before adding the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) with Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) yesterday.
On Boxing Day, Richards won six straight races but couldn’t claim the day’s feature, the Zabeel Classic (Gr 1, 2000m). Yesterday, though, the team’s hot streak during the festive season resulted in a top-level score as Avantage (5 m Fastnet Rock – Asavant by Zabeel) won her fifth Group 1 in the Railway.
Backed into $2.10 favourite against a field that included defending champion Julius (Swiss Ace), well-travelled Group 1 winner Summer Passage (Snitzel) and potential top-class sprinter Levante (Proisir), Avantage was gifted a stellar ride from Opie Bosson.
Settling in the box seat directly behind leader Julius, Bosson forced out into the three-wide line on the apex of the turn and quickly set sail after the pace-setter. Julius, though, with his nine years of wisdom, kept finding resolutely, while Levante – as is her habit – was seven lengths off the speed at the 150 metres and yet to pass a runner.
In the shadows of the post, Avantage ranged up and passed Julius by, taking the win by a neck and adding the Railway Stakes to her victories in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), Telegraph Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), the Haunui Farm Classic (Gr 1, 1600m) and the New Zealand Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).
Levante lost few admirers with her hard-charging third, just over a length from the winner.
“It’s a special moment in what has been a great carnival for us,” trainer Jamie Richards said. “I can’t do it on my own and I have a wonderful team behind me, I have David buying them and Dave and Karyn syndicating them, so it’s a great recipe for success.
“The logical step for her next is the Telegraph. That was what we did last year after running in the Hallmark here and then back to Te Rapa for the BCD Sprint.
“She has a great constitution and we put a lot of thought and effort into this one after she had her run at 2000 metres. You have to have the horse to do it though and luckily we have.
“Opie hasn’t had the greatest of days, so for him to pull out a peach of a ride like that and get the job done shows they are both a couple of champions.”
Richards was referring to a hefty suspension imposed on Bosson, who will miss most of January after being charged with two counts of careless riding earlier on the card. The rider will be out of the saddle from tomorrow until January 28, meaning he will miss the chance to win a fifth straight Karaka Million 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) after taking the NZ$1 million feature on Melody Belle (Commands), Avantage, Probabeel (Savabeel) and the recently retired Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel) the last four years.
“It’s been a tough day so I’m pleased I could get that win on her,” Bosson said. “We got a soft run and I knew she was class and a real trier as well, as she gives 100 per cent every time she goes out there.
“I knew Levante had run into a bit of traffic, so I was happy to put my mare in a handy spot and she did the rest.”
Avantage, a NZ$210,000 purchase from The Oaks Stud’s draft at the 2017 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, has now earned almost NZ$1.67 million in prize-money.
She remains the best performer out of the Group 1-placed mare Asavant (Zabeel), although Avantage’s younger sister Asathought (So You Think) is making a name for herself on the South Island, placing at Listed level last season and winning last weekend over 2200 metres.
While there is plenty of stamina throughout the family, Asavant is herself a half-sister to Hong Kong’s Group 1-winning sprinter D B Pin (Darci Brahma).
Avantage’s two-year-old sister Mystic Mermaid is in training with Chris Waller for Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock. And while Asavant will not be represented this sales season, having missed to Merchant Navy (Fastnet Rock) in 2019, she produced a brother to Avantage in 2020 and was once again served by Fastnet Rock (Danehill) in October.
A couple of hours earlier, Richards unveiled a filly that he hopes can follow in Avantage’s footsteps one day in Eclipse Stakes winner Imperatriz (2 f I Am Invincible – Berimbau by Shamardal), a 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduate.
Fellow Magic Millions alum and stablemate Sword Of State (Snitzel) was sent out as the hot favourite, having created a big impression on debut at Te Rapa last month, while Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) winner Stormy (Telperion) and his unraced barn companion Khufu (American Pharoah) were also expected to feature in a race dominated by the colts.
However, it was the filly, also a winner at start one at Otaki, who proved too sharp, demonstrating a deft turn of foot from just off the speed before holding off the late surge of Stormy to score by a head. The pair came right away with Sword Of State another four and a half lengths away in third.
“I was so excited to ride this filly today,” said winning rider Danielle Johnson. “I galloped her here at Ellerslie a couple of weeks ago and she gave me such a good feel that day.
“She’s progressed so well. She takes everything in her stride. She just gives me the feel of such a good horse.
“I knew Sword Of State was going to be hard to beat, and Tony Pike’s horse (Khufu) had a big reputation, but this is such an exciting filly. I just knew she’d run well.”
Purchased for $360,000 from the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at last year’s Magic Millions, Imperatriz is the first foal to race out of the Group 2-placed mare Berimbau (Shamardal), from a family of prolific winners.
It may have proved a timely win, too, with Bhima Thoroughbreds offering Imperatriz’s half-sister by Fastnet Rock at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She is catalogued as Lot 96.
Berimbau was served by Press Statement (Hinchinbrook) in September.
Richards also took out the City Of Auckland Cup (Gr 3, 2400m) with consistent mare Savy Yong Blonk (5 m Savabeel – Ampin by Pins), who finally shed her bridesmaid tag at stakes level after recording four Group 3 placings throughout her career.
In a reversal of last year’s quinella in the same race, when Platinum Invador (Redwood) defeated Savy Yong Blonk by two and three-quarter lengths, this time it was the mare who prevailed, holding off the Lisa Latta trainee by a nose. Robusto (Zed) was a further length and a quarter away in third.
“She really deserves this win,” Richards said. “She’s run second in a number of these big Cup races. She’s not the biggest mare, but fair play to her – she’s done the job.”
Added Johnson: “I thought Ryan (Elliot on Platinum Invador) had just got me, but he said ‘well done’ after the line, so I was just hoping he was a better judge than me.
“Things haven’t really gone her way in recent starts, she’s got too far back in her last couple and it might not have been some of my best work. Thankfully we’ve pulled it off today in the one that matters.”
Bred and owned by Gartshore Bloodstock, Savy Yong Blonk is a year-older sister to Autumn Classic (Gr 2, 1800m) winner Adelaide Ace. The pair have a three-year-old brother, Auron, who ran fifth in a Doomben maiden on Wednesday at start two, while their two-year-old half-brother Devilears (Sebring) is with Victorian trainer Jamie Edwards.
Ampin (Pins), an unraced half-sister to Group 1 placegetters Strike The Stars (Savabeel) and Best Case (Savabeel), slipped in 2019 and missed in 2020. She was served by Lonhro (Octagonal) in September.
Rocket Spade takes Guineas
While Avantage was the star attraction at Ellerslie, her sire Fastnet Rock had already tasted success earlier on the Ellerslie card when Rocket Spade (3 c ex Affairoftheheart by Fusaichi Pegasus) scored a first stakes victory in the Auckland Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m).
Trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, Rocket Spade became the second Hermitage Thoroughbreds-owned horse to win the Auckland Guineas in as many years, joining last year’s victor Dragon Leap (Pierro).
Sent out third favourite in the field of ten, the Craig Grylls-ridden Rocket Spade burst away early in the straight before holding off the fast-finishing Jason Belltree (Ferlax) to win by three-quarters of a length, with another length back to On Display (Showcasing) in third.
“He’s a classy animal,” Grylls said. “We got into a pretty good spot. He just wanted to throw his head around a little bit, but he was travelling so well. I didn’t want to get to the front too early, but he was just going so easily that I couldn’t really help it.
“He hasn’t raced since the 2000 Guineas, so for him to produce this performance over 1600 metres today is a great training performance by Lance and Andrew. Being first-up today, he’s going to have a lot of improvement in him, and he gives me the feel of a stayer.”
The New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) looms as a likely target for Rocket Spade, with the Hermitage team aiming to improve on Dragon Leap’s fourth in 2020.
“Hermitage have been great supporters of Wexford Stables for the last five years or so,” O’Sullivan said. “We’re very fortunate to have the opportunity to go to the sales every year and buy a horse or two for them. It’s great when those horses come out and win nice races.
“This is a good horse and he’s bred to run a mile and a half, so we’re looking forward to getting him up over ground.
“He doesn’t have as much acceleration as Dragon Leap, but he might have a bit more stamina and could be more suited to the Derby trip.”
Purchased for $425,000 from the Tyreel Stud draft at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Rocket Spade is the first black type winner out of the stakes-placed mare Affairoftheheart (Fusaichi Pegasus), a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Soriano (Savabeel) and Group 3 scorer Kaiser Franz (Savabeel).
His year-younger brother Holstein (Snitzel) was sold at last year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for $150,000, being bought by trainer Matthew Dunn, while another half-brother – a two-year-old by Thronum (Snitzel) – went through the Inglis Digital August Sale for $7,000.
Affairoftheheart was served by Sun Stud’s National Defense (Invincible Spirit) in October.
The fillies’ equivalent, the Royal Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m), was taken in impressive fashion by Needle And Thread (3 f Makfi – Fleece by Daylami) – fitting, given owner Kevin Hickman’s Valachi Downs sponsored the race.
Sent out the second favourite after finishing fourth in the Eight Carat Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) last Saturday, the Stephen Autridge and Kris Shailer-prepared Needle And Thread bounced straight to the lead was not for catching, racing right away under Grylls to finish four and a half lengths clear of her rivals.
Lily’s Lady (Contributer) made it a one-two for Hickman, Autridge and Shailer, while Il Affare (Dundeel) was a half-head behind the runner-up in third.
“We thought that she would back up well and the 2000 metres would suit her, but she was more impressive than we thought she might be,” Shailer said.
“Craig rode her a treat, rated her nicely and she had them off the bridle a long way from home.
“It’s great for Kevin and his wife Joanna as they put so much into racing. It’s a big team effort, so I’m delighted for everyone.
“We’ll see how they both pull up from this, give them a quiet week and then look to how we might be able to get them to the New Zealand Oaks.”
While the Royal Stakes shapes as a natural New Zealand Oaks lead-in, no filly has completed the double since Savannah Success (Success Express) in 1999, when the gap between the two races was a mere three weeks.
Needle And Thread is a sister to three-time Group 1 runner-up Savile Row, who is also Valachi Downs’ foundation stallion.
Dam Fleece (Daylami) is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Chintz (Danehill Dancer), the dam of two-time Group 1 victor The Gurkha (Galileo), as well as Artful (Green Desert), whose son Buckhurst (Australia) is a three-time Group 3 winner in Ireland and contested both the Caulfield Cup (Gr 1, 2400m) and Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) in 2020.
It is also the family of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Solemia (Poliglote) and Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) hero Authorized (Montjeu), suggesting that stamina will be no concern for the filly ahead of the Oaks.
Fleece has an unnamed two-year-old by American Pharoah (Pioneerof The Nile) in training with Peter Moody, while she produced a filly by Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) in 2019.
The day’s other feature at Ellerslie, the Rich Hill Mile (Gr 2, 1600m), went to the Joanne Surgenor-trained Showoroses (4 m Showcasing – Rodrigo Rose by Rodrigo de Triano), who made it two stakes wins on the bounce with a game success.
Jumping from the outside gate in the 12-runner field, Vinnie Colgan sent Showoroses to the lead and controlled the race from pillar to post, holding on grimly to score by three-quarters of a length from Demonetization (All Too Hard) with Coventina Bay (Shamexpress) a half-head away in third.
“She is just a wee star,” Surgenor said. “She got to the front, travelled and then kicked away.
“I was a little concerned that Amarula may have gone to the front, but he didn’t get there so it worked out perfectly for us.
“This has been one of my dream races to win, as I’ve had a couple in before and never won it, so this is just amazing.
“Her last win was a Group 2, the biggest of my career and now she has made it two in a row so how good is that!”
Showoroses is the final foal out of Group 3 winner Rodrigo Rose (Rodrigo De Triano), with yesterday’s Rich Hill Mile win coming four years to the day after her dam’s death.