Te Akau's "Season That Was" continues ...

Welcome to the third of our 'season black type reflections" - as the 2018/19 season comes to a close on 31 July, we are proud to take the opportunity to reflect on a massive 18 Group/Listed race tally for our Te Akau NZ trainer Jamie Richards and our team ... this time it was the turn of our Champion 2YO of the prior season, Group 1 and Karaka Million Queen - Avantage ...

As expected, Champion Two-Year-Old Avantage (3 f Fastnet Rock - Asavant, by Zabeel) resumed her three-year-old season with a win in the $70,000 Gold Trail Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 22 September at Hastings.

With such a title came plenty of expectation and she certainly gave a fitting display. Drawn barrier one, under Danielle Johnson, aboard when winning the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) in March at Awapuni, Avantage angled clear from a handy position on the point of the home turn and defiantly held the challenge of Xpression (Showcasing) over the final 200m. 

It was a courageous performance, as she had to call on reserves to hold out locally trained filly Xpression who already had an impressive fresh-up victory under her belt.

“She had to tough it out, but she's a champion filly,” said trainer Jamie Richards. “I talked up the second horse (Xpression) all week and think she's a pretty serious filly, too.

“Good horses find a way to get to the line first, with their head in front, and that's what she does. She's a proper racehorse and we just love her at home.”

Bought by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $210,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling, from the Oaks Stud draft, Avantage took her record to seven wins from eight starts and $806,120 in prize money for the Te Akau Avantage Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

Rider Danielle Johnson said: “Jamie, having just gone out on his own, winning a Group One (soon to be two as Melody Belle won again later in the programme), a Group Two, and Group Three, in such a short time is a huge achievement. And David Ellis, another wonderful filly bought by him and it's a credit to all the team behind the scenes.”

As cut and dried as any of the awards when crowned Champion Two-Year-Old at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards in 2018, Avantage made it consecutive Two-Year-Old titles for Te Akau Racing, following Melody Belle in 2016-17, and their sixth Champion Two-Year-Old title in recent times.

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

Attendees at race meetings witness class, as is often referred to among thoroughbreds, but whether recognised or not becomes a matter of the subjective. Some evidence suggests the class factor exists within about five to ten percent of the thoroughbred breed, which could be in line with elite sportspeople in general - tennis players, golfers, cricketers, netballers, skiers etc.

The class factor was certainly evident when Avantage had her first public trial, showing a good turn of foot and finishing on the bridle in second. And 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 amongst the best thoroughbreds in the land.

Avantage was strapped by Mason Stevens. 

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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