Te Akau 2YO Trial at Riccarton

Te Akau Racing trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards had one horse trial before the race meeting on Saturday 23 September at Riccarton.

Track: Heavy10, rail out 11 metres

Heat 1 2YO 800 metres (long neck, 1 ¾ lengths 49.9)

Avantage (2 f Fastnet Rock - Asavant) - Tegan Newman; eased behind her two rivals after being half a stride slow from the gates and cruised past them in a soft trial win.

Newman reported that had she asked, the filly could have gone clear.

Stable foreman Daniel Miller said: “She was not really suited by the heavy track, but I think she is pretty classy. She had a good blow afterwards and should come on leaps and bounds for it.”

It was just the second trial for Avantage, having finished on the bridle in second when ridden by Opie Bosson on 1 August at Te Teko.

Owned by the Te Akau Avantage Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM) which includes well known broadcaster Tony Veitch, she was purchased by David Ellis in January this year for $210,000 at the NZB Premier Yearling Sale, from the Oaks Stud draft.

By champion Australian sire Fastnet Rock (Danehill), her dam, Asavant, was a very good filly that won one of the best races in the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, the Warstep Stakes (Listed, 2000m).