Class Fillies in Gold Trail Thriller

The Informant reports:

Avantage and Xpression gave a taste of what's to come in the battle for supremacy in the three-year-old crop with a photo-finish quinella in the Hawke's Bay Breeders' Gold Trail Stakes.

Lining up for the first time against each in the first leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year series, there was a only a short head between them at the end of a thrilling duel.

Avantage, last season's champion two-year-old with just one defeat - a second at Group One level - along with five wins, took the honours again, but there was equal merit in Xpression's close second after having to contend with the outside barrier.

Whereas Avantage was able to take an economical spot behind the speed set by Stella Noire, Xpression was forced to go back from the jump and take a wide course to get amongst the action.

Danielle Johnson angled Avantage into the clear on the point of the turn, but this was going to be no soft win as Xpression lodged her bid. Drawing clear of their opposition, the pair settled down for battle before Avantage came out on top.

“There's a bit left in her, she'll improve again, but I was confident she was ready to win,” commented Avantage's trainer Jamie Richards. “She did it well off a cosy run, but the other filly was good too considering where she drew and had to do more work than us.”

Today's clash has set up an interesting scenario, with connections of today's protagonists raising the prospect of another meeting ahead of their major Guineas targets at Riccarton in November.

“We've already ruled out returning here for the (Hawke's Bay) Guineas next month,” Richards added. “Her next run is likely to be down south, that's the way we like to do it with our Guineas horses ahead of Riccarton.

“Something like the 1400-metre stakes race at Ashburton could be next, that looks like an ideal lead-up.”

The race referred to by Richards is the Gr. 3 Barneswood Farm on October 20, which is also under serious consideration for Xpression.

“It's a race that fits in well as a lead-up to the 1000 Guineas,” said the Showcasing filly's co-trainer Guy Lowry. “All things considered we're very happy with that run, it was a big effort.”

Avantage and Xpression put nearly four lengths on their rivals, who were headed by Rocket Fuel, a Smart Missile filly having just her third start.