Cloud nine for classy Kiwi Avantage
Cloud nine for classy Kiwi Avantage by New Zealand Racing Desk Avantage does it again Image: Trish Dunell
Despite being delayed a week, the G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) lived up to its billing as one of the races of the season, as plucky mare Avantage made it Group One win number nine with a thrilling victory.
The Jamie Richards-trained five-year-old started a red-hot favourite in the contest that was raced at Te Rapa on Saturday after the Te Aroha meeting last week was abandoned after race three due to a slippery track.
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A wide draw and a step up in class couldn’t hold down underrated mare Showoroses as she led from go to whoa to take out the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie.
The Joanne Surgenor-trained four-year-old had employed similar tactics against her own sex when taking out the Group 2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa last month.
Friday’s contest pitted her against the best of the boys as well, with rider Vinnie Colgan once again seizing the initiative after Showoroses worked her way to the lead inside the opening 300m.
Colgan let his charge bowl along without a care in the world before applying the pressure from the 600m. Asked for a serious effort in the straight, Showoroses established a winning break before clinging gamely to her lead to score by a length from Demonetization with New Plymouth visitor Coventina Bay a nose back in third.
Racing: Sam Collett can collar the double at Ellerslie
30 Dec, 2020 11:00 AM
5 minutes to read
Coventina Bay is another late-closing rocket who tends to get well back in the running. Photo / File
NZ Herald
By: Michael Guerin
Sam Collett has been at the top of racing s tree long enough to know how this works.
Already a premiership champion, winner of the last two Auckland Cups and one of the most popular jockeys in the country, Collett knows the first day of 2021 could go different ways.
In the dream scenario, Collett could have two perfect rides and snare the $200,000 Railway with Levante and the $100,000 Rich Hill Mile with Coventina Bay.
“We were thrilled with his trial at Taupō. He wasn’t going to trial there, but we snuck that one in, which was good. “We were going to trial at Foxton the other day, but it was a heavy10, so he did an exhibition gallop at Hastings, which was pleasing. “He had been down to Waipukurau and galloped in company with Miss Labasa, so we have kept it up to him. “Once he was in the paddock after the second day at Hastings we just thought ‘where’s next?’. “His main aim is this race and then we are looking at Te Rapa in February (Gr1 BCD Group Sprint, 1400m) and then the Haunui Farm WFA (Gr1, 1600m) two weeks later. We will decide after Saturday if we need a run in January.”