Champion 2YO Returns

The Informant reports:

Last season's top two-year-old Avantage makes her eagerly anticipated return to racing in Saturday's Gr. 3 Hawke's Bay Breeders' Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings, looking to retain a crown that has been placed under threat in recent weeks.

The Fastnet Rock filly won five of her six starts last season, headed by the Karaka Million and the Gr. 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes.

Avantage was the clear favourite when markets opened for November's Gr. 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas, but she now shares that mantle with Melt at $4.50. The runner-up in the Sires' Produce Stakes, Melt has begun her three-year-old campaign with two powerhouse victories at Ruakaka including the Gr. 3 Northland Breeders' Stakes. Now it's Avantage's turn.

“It's going to be an interesting contest on Saturday, with Xpression in the field and going well.”

“We're very pleased with how she's come up in this preparation,” said Jamie Richards, who trains the star filly for the Te Akau Avantage Syndicate.

“She's been working well. She's had a trial (third at Te Rapa on August 21) and a good exhibition gallop between races at Hastings, and we think she's forward enough to run a really good race.

“It's going to be an interesting contest on Saturday, with Xpression in the field and going well. But we're looking forward to getting our filly back to the races and we think she can run well.”

Avantage was partnered on Tuesday morning by her Sires' Produce Stakes-winning jockey Danielle Johnson as she ran 1000 metres in 1:05 with the last 600 in 36.8 seconds.

“She felt on the job, good and ready,” said Johnson, who made the trip from Cambridge for the ride.

Standing in her way on Saturday is the home-town heroine Xpression, trained by Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen for an ownership group that includes her breeders Haunui Farm.

The daughter of Showcasing had just two starts last season, placing on debut on December 1 before winning the Gr. 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham just over a week later.

Her first start since then was at Taupo last month, scoring a long-head victory over the highly rated Santa Catarina. The third placegetter Mohaka, also trained by Lowry and Grant Cullen, has subsequently placed in the Wanganui Guineas.

Xpression is the $9 third favourite in the New Zealand 1000 Guineas market.

“She seems to be going well,” Lowry said on Monday. “She's trained on well since Taupo. We'll keep our fingers crossed for a good week heading into Saturday, and hopefully she'll run well.

“It's another step up in class for her, and Hastings is a track that may not necessarily suit her racing style. But we're hoping she can run well, and we're treating it as a stepping stone towards the 1000 Guineas.”

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