Six Te Akau 2YO Champions

As cut and dried as any of the awards, Avantage (Fastnet Rock - Asavant, by Zabeel) was crowned Champion Two-Year-Old at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards 2018 on Sunday night at the Ellerslie Event Centre in Auckland.

The dream filly made it consecutive titles for Te Akau Racing, following Melody Belle (Commands) in 2016-17, and their sixth Champion Two-Year-Old title in recent times - ALL purchased by David Ellis.

Seemingly with the world at her feet, she was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $210,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the Oaks Stud draft, and owned by the Te Akau Avantage Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

A debut winner last October at Riccarton, Avantage made it four in a row when winning the Karaka Million (Restricted Listed, 1200m) in January, clocked the fastest last 600m (32.8) of the day with a massive sprint for second to stable-mate Sword Of Osman (Savabeel) in the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m), and culminated her six start (five wins and a second) two-year-old season with a huge victory in the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) on 31 March at Awapuni, for $762,370 in prize money.

“She has made us extremely proud and it's a great thrill for our amazingly loyal owners, not just in Avantage, but Sword of Osman (Savabeel) who was a finalist for this award, and across the board,” said syndicate manager Karyn Fenton-Ellis.

“She was beautifully managed and prepared throughout the season by Steve (Autridge) and Jamie (Richards) and while well ridden in each of her assignments, special kudos must go to Opie Bosson for his winning ride in the Karaka Million and to Danielle Johnson in winning the Sires' Produce Stakes, and also to Willie & Karen Calder who bred her.”

Regular attendees at race meetings will see quality, or class as is often referred to in thoroughbreds. Whether recognised or not becomes a matter for the subjective, but some evidence suggests it exists within about five to ten percent of the breed - which is possibly in line with the elite no matter the sport or sphere.

It was evident when Avantage had her first public trial, when showing a good turn of foot and finishing on the bridle in second, and could even have been bubbling through the inner workings of those closest to her prior to that. The long and the short, is that she built on those early signs to record some absolutely sensational feats during her two-year-old season, not only to be recognised as superior to her juvenile peers but judged among the best thoroughbreds in the land.

Her requirements for stardom could be similar to those that propelled Tiger Woods to the top of world golf - with a fist full of major titles at a tender age: focus, athleticism, temperament, gift, spirit, practice, realisation, intelligence, professionalism, gratitude, the list goes on......but one thing is for certain: body and mind needs to be in perfect harmony for the quality to show through.

Look into her eye. Is there a telling factor that she is the best?

One person that thinks so is breeder Willie Calder. Willie and his wife, Karen, were nominees for Breeder of the Year, having also bred D B Pin (Darci Brahma), a three-quarter brother to Avantage, from her grand-dam Pins ‘N' Needles, who in January won a Group One race in Hong Kong.

“As the breeder of these horses we retain an enormous bond and with Avantage it's been a great thrill,” Calder said. “It's been unbelievable and we're as proud as punch of her.

“I've been trying to breed a Group One winner for a long, long time and to get two from the same family within in a couple of months of each other is incredible.

“I put my hand up to buy Avantage back (at Karaka), but the auctioneer said ‘sorry' the hammer went down first and she was knocked down to David. She was a lovely yearling. I bought a three-quarter sister back this year; a Fastnet Rock filly out of Pins ‘N' Needles called Puysegur and Te Akau are training her for me. She's very much like Avantage, but a slightly bigger version and hopefully she can be half as good.

“Having a horse in the stable, I can pop in and see how Avantage is going as well. Dave & Karyn keep me informed, so I feel like one of the owners, it's great.

“Knowing the family, they love racing, back up well and I'm looking forward to seeing her in the South Island again for the Guineas races.

“I've always wanted to go a long way in the breeding industry, had some great advice, and just try to breed the best animal I can. Karen and I can't wait to see them as foals. The whole process is a real buzz and it's a great pastime, great hobby, there's nothing better.

“What a filly Avantage is, to win five out of six and really the only time she was beaten, it was the run of the race for second. She was the first one from the family to really do something as a two-year-old. She was naturally muscled, no overly big, so physically she looked a good chance of making a two-year-old. The blood was saying different, but Fastnet Rock has left a Group One winning two-year-old (Heroic Valour, trained by Te Akau) and he's a champion sire. So, it was a bit of a surprise, a pleasant one and I was certainly pleased it happened, but like the rest of the family she should be better again at three. She's got a great motor.

“I couldn't see her beaten when she stepped up to 1400 metres and really looking forward to her getting to a mile.

“For me, the highlight was the Karaka Million. Although it's not a Group One, it was a very good field and she dug deep the whole down the straight. It was a massive thrill, and then of course she won the Group One (Sires') so easily - it was over when they turned for home.”

Te Akau principal David Ellis is another in awe of the feats achieved by Avantage as a two-year-old, and particularly enamoured by her resolve.

“She was a filly that stayed up all season,” Ellis said. “She trialled in August, she won twice in October, was back off a freshen-up to win twice in January, including the Karaka Million which was probably the best run of the season from any horse. She then went to the Sistema and drew the outside, finishing up back on the fence in a race that had no pace, so her effort to finish second was quite incredible, and then you saw the real filly in the Sires' Produce where she just put them away with ridiculous ease.

“We've had six champion two-year-olds and she's certainly right up there with the very best, and none have been better. It's hard to judge from year to year, but I do know that none of them have been better than her.

“Fastnet Rock is just an unbelievable sire that Te Akau has had huge success with. Interestingly, we only paid $210,000 for the filly at the Karaka Premier Sale. She was great buying, with a beautiful pedigree, and after she won her first start we turned down $750,000 for her, which in hindsight we were very lucky we did. She's now a Group One winning Fastnet Rock filly and they're incredibly valuable.”

Mapping a plan for her three-year-old campaign, Ellis said Avantage is heading towards the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) in November at Riccarton, and may have her resuming run in the $70,000 Hawkes Bay Breeders' Gold Trail Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 22 September at Hastings.