Home Ground Avantage for Star Mare

Connections of New Zealand Black Type Premiership Horse of the Year Avantage (Fastnet Rock-Asavant, by Zabeel) have opted to keep the 6YO on home soil as she works towards a start in the Gr2 Valachi Downs Foxbridge Plate (1200m) which will be run at Te Rapa on Saturday. Although also nominated for Caulfield on Saturday, the Te Akau team, which includes trainer Jamie Richards, are happy to take the risk that racing will resume in New Zealand sooner rather than later. After winning the Foxbridge Plate fresh-up last season, Avantage placed in the three Group 1 legs of the Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown – Tarzino Trophy (1400m), Windsor Park Plate (1600m) and Livamol Classic (2040m). According to NZ Racing Desk, after a pleasing piece of work over 1000m on the Matamata course proper on Tuesday, in company with smart three-year-old I Wish I Win, Avantage is one of three runners for Richards in the Foxbridge Plate. Meanwhile, the $1 million Gr1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) on October 30 at Flemington has become an enticing target for Avantage as she is eligible for a A$1 million bonus should she win, having triumphed in the Gr1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) in April, one of 12 bonus-qualifying races.  “I think with the million-dollar bonus it has to be closely looked at. I haven’t spoken about it in depth with Dave (Ellis, Te Akau principal) just yet, but it will certainly be on the table,” Richards advised.

Avantage has won 9 Group 1s (pic: Race Images Grant Matthew)