Lot 454 Wootton Bassett - Avantage Bay Filly

Lot 454 bay filly Wootton Bassett – Avantage (Fastnet Rock) (draft: Coolmore Stud) 

Already a special filly, being out of highly acclaimed Champion Filly Avantage (Fastnet Rock – Asavant, by Zabeel), whom Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM purchased as a yearling at Karaka, and she won an astonishing nine Group One races. This is her first foal, beautifully mated with Coolmore shuttle stallion Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj), the Champion 2YO Colt in France, and already a sire of sires with the Champion 3YO Colt in Europe, Ireland, and France, Almanzor shuttling to Cambridge Stud, where he has been Leading First Season Sire. A blue-blood pedigree, the filly carries bloodline crosses to some of the best stallions in thoroughbred history, with immortal stallion Northern Dancer, Danzig, and Nureyev. 

Owned by Te Akau Avantage Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Avantage won 16 of 28 races and $2.1m in prize money before setting a world record $4.1 million when sold online through Gavelhouse.com to Coolmore Australia, where she was foaled. A given for Champion Two-Year-Old after notching her fourth consecutive win in the $1m Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m), and finishing second to stable-mate Sword of Osman (Savabeel) in the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m), Avantage extended her fabulous record with a huge victory in the Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m). A Group Three winner as a three-year-old in Australia, in the Birthday Card Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) on Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill, she simply continued to improve. A powerhouse galloper, unique in her action at full flight, and the type to run through brick walls, Avantage was the ultimate warrior. No matter the distance, having won Group One races from 1200 metres to 2000 metres, she displayed determination to win and once at peak was very hard to beat. In one season alone, she won five Group One, including four in a row, and lifted her number at elite level to nine. At nine Group Ones, Avantage is the record-holder for her Champion Australian Sire Fastnet Rock (Danehill). 

“The filly is a magnificent first foal from a mare that we experienced so much success with,” Ellis said. “She has great flow about her, scope, great head and eye, and an enormous amount of substance. “Avantage was a unique mare with an outstanding will to win and this filly is very similar in her action and attitude. “It was very emotional being able to secure the filly and we could not be happier with her.” Senior Coolmore manager Colm Santry said: “She was amazing race mare, Avantage, one of the best Te Akau has ever had, and very special for David (Ellis) to have bought her first foal. “Wootton Bassett is doing an amazing job and had a fantastic year all over the world, and she’s a beautiful filly, first foal. “There was serious interest in her all week, in a way she exceeded our expectations in the sales ring but there was huge interest in her and she sold accordingly. 

“Avantage was a fabulous mare, we love Fastnet Rock, and we charged in for an awful lot of money ($4.1m) to buy her off the syndicate that owned her. She has an amazingly well structured pedigree, Fastnet Rock, we all know how good Zabeel is, and Pins under that again. “This filly is such a good investment and these types of fillies are investments for life. Her mother was obviously very good-looking and Fastnet Rock mares tend to get very good first foals, generally speaking. He puts a lot of size and scope and strength into them. 

“And Wootton Bassett, he’s a proven stallion and it’s all ahead for him and all about the future for us at Coolmore. “He’s had a fabulous year. We had a couple of two-year-olds at Ballydoyle (Coolmore Racing Stable, Ireland) this year and they were probably the best. One of them won a Group One for us and the other won at Royal Ascot. “He’s done very well with Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) in New Zealand, so they know the blood over there, and we have another very good filly going through the sale by him shortly (Lot 516), out of Champagne Cuddles, and she’ll sell very well too. “There’s a good deal of New Zealand influence with Iffraaj standing at Haunui Farm, and that great Mr. Prospector sire line. “Iffraaj did very well all over the world and we believe his son, Wootton Bassett, will do the same worldwide. 

“We loved watching Avantage racing. She was an amazing mare, competitive every time she went to the races, and it’s fantastic that we were able to sell her first foal and see her back in the tangerine (colours). “He’s a powerhouse for the New Zealand industry, David (Ellis). He’s looking well and he’s looking younger, and he’s got a spring in his step over here on the Gold Coast. “He’s going to get behind their new stable in Melbourne, and do everything they can to make it another leading stable in the future. “It’s exciting for David, for New Zealand, and all his partners that support him.”

SHARES: 

20% share approx. $457,000 

10% share approx. $228,000 

5% share approx. $114,250 

2.5% share approx. $57,125 

This will be a single filly stand-alone syndicate, this is a business partnership.

This includes pedigree research/analysis & sale expenses at cost, as well as full pre purchase veterinary inspection & x-ray examination. Your share of post-sale transport, Magic Millions' 2YO and 3YO Million entry, Pearl Bonus Series entry (fillies only), insurance, post-sale shoe removal & drench  additional. Ongoing costs per month approx. $490 +GST per 10% share. Full disclosure document is available on request. Prices quoted are NZD.