Another Group 1 for Avantage

It was one thing winning the first race on Wellington Cup Day with Festivity (I Am Invincible), but the stakes went to fever pitch before, during, and after Avantage (4 m Fastnet Rock - Asavant, by Zabeel) produced a thrilling victory in the $250,000 JR & N Berkett Telegraph (Gr. 1, 1200m). 

Registering her most recent victory in the Birthday Card Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) on Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens, Sydney, the former Champion Two-Year-Old after winning five of her six starts, including the $1m Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m) and Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m), took her tally to eight from 14 and $1.16 million in prize money. 

A high-class and quality athlete, Avantage had all the right attributes to win the Telegraph, but drew the outside barrier (13) and it took both a courageous and brilliant ride by Opie Bosson to get the job done.

Bosson, who last season surpassed Hall of Fame jockey Lance O'Sullivan for the record number of Group One wins, notched his 66^that the elite level and it was surely one of his very best. Driving the mare into midfield, amidst potential carnage, Bosson was able to steady Avantage immediately and when he presented her in the straight she sprinted hard to win.

“I was worried about the wide draw, but you can't take it away from her, she's all class,” Bosson said. “She was just outstanding, today. I knew she was back in this campaign, through her trials and everything like that and we've been really happy with her. 

“She improved so much with her first-up run for second in the Hallmark, so we were quietly confident. Enzo's Lad kicked when I got to him and it would have been nice to see him win, but even better for me to win. 

“Te Akau has been a huge supporter of mine and David (Ellis) buys amazing horses. It's a pleasure to ride for him and as long as I behave I can keep riding for him."

Ellis purchased Avantage as  yearling for $210,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, and the flying filly is owned by the Te Akau Avantage Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). To put a price on her current broodmare value would be in the millions.

“I've just opened the bar,” said Ellis, who had been drafting lambs and cattle all morning.

“What a mare and just so exciting for everyone involved. It's was Avantage's first win as a four-year-old, after being very good as a two and three-year-old. She epitomizes the type of horse I'm trying to buy. A horse that can win a big two-year-old race without putting too much pressure on them, go on and win in Australia at three and can come back as a four-year-old and win Group One races. 

“She hasn't had a lot of racing and I think, with her pedigree, that she's going to better next season over 1400 and 1600 metres. She's an incredibly talented racehorse and I'm thrilled for Willie and Karen Calder who bred her. They always have a horse with Te Akau, very supportive, fantastic people and great breeders and are very good friends of Karyn and mine.

“All credit to the second horse (Enzo's Lad) because he fought like a tiger and he's obviously a great sprinter and went very close to winning three Telegraphs in a row. It was probably as good a Telegraph field as we've had for twenty years.

“It's a great way to start the year. It was win number 72 for the team, and Jamie's eighth group win this season - seven in New Zealand, plus a Group One in Australia. 

“You just don't get these results unless everyone in the team is working really hard. Avantage is in the barn run by Nicole Shalier. She's a terrific horsewoman, reliable, leads by example, and she's at work half an hour early with a smile on her face every day. I'm so proud to have her working for me.” 

Commenting on the ride by Opie Bosson, Ellis said: “I thought it was just a beautiful ride. He got her into a lovely position, got cover, and he was very strong in the finish. It's such an advantage to have him riding our horses and he's worked for Te Akau since he was 14. He got off on Tuesday morning, when she worked with Festivity, and he was just so confident that she'd go well today. It was brilliant.

“We only took two horses to Trentham. They both won and quite a few owners are in both horses, so a great day for them. Karyn was on course and I watched the races at Te Akau Stud with a very good friend of mine, Sam Haggas, whose father is internationally acclaimed trainer William Haggas, and his grandfather is Lester Piggott. And, he very much enjoyed the win too. 

By champion Australian sire Fastnet Rock (Danehill), the dam of Avantage, Asavant (Zabeel), won the Warstep Stakes (Listed, 2000m) as a three-year-old at Riccarton, gaining a Group One placing when finishing third in the Darci Brahma International Stakes (2000m), and from the family of Hong Kong star D B Pin (Darci Brahma), a Group One winner of $24m.  

The reaction from trainer Jamie Richards, after the win: “Awesome. She's a proper, good horse. We made the mistake of taking her to Sydney in the spring after things didn't go our way fresh-up at Ruakaka, but glad we can repay the owners faith and get a really good Group One with her. 

“She's all class and a real racehorse. So strong, built like a colt and incredibly hard to handle but it's such a thrill for everyone involved. We've got a great team of staff. Dave (Ellis) tries to buy the best horses he can for the owners and to get these results on a big day, a week out from the sales, is really important for the whole business.

“It was a 10 out of 10 ride by Opie. He's just a freak when he's on the ball. He's a real confidence man, and when he's in the zone he's very hard to get past. He's a massive part of our stable, as are our other riders: Michael McNab and Troy Harris. 

“She's a very valuable mare and we were really frustrated with how things went in Sydney, so to repay the faith, as I said, to get a good win here is really important.

“We all work really hard. Not just me, the whole team. Dave and Karyn buy all these horses, most of them on spec, and back their judgement and get them sold. That's why our stable is so good, I think, because of the horses that we buy at the sales. That's where it's won and lost.

“We'd love to take her back to Australia, and try and show her off over there because we've got a bit of unfinished business from the spring.”

Avantage was strapped by Ashley Handley.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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