Avantage Chasing a Ninth G1 Victory

Media Release - Friday April 16

A lot can change in a week and the misfortune of the races being abandoned mid program at Te Aroha has resulted in leading jockey Danielle Johnson picking up the plumb ride on champion Fastnet Rock mare Avantage in Saturday’s rescheduled Gr.1 Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa.

Avantage has won eight G1 races so far!

Opie Bosson was originally engaged to ride the $1.70 favourite, but with a commitment to Amarelinha in Sydney this weekend, eight-time Group One winner Avantage required a new rider in the re-scheduled affair.

“It’s funny the way things work out. I am excited to be on Avantage again and it’s my luck with Opie out of the country to ride Amarelinha in the Oaks in Australia,” said Johnson, who has ridden Avantage to three Group One victories.

“She has got a nice barrier draw (3) and you go into a race on a horse like that with so much confidence.

“She has won at weight for age at every distance from 1200m to 2000m. There are not many horses that can do that.

Advertisement

“She has got the will to win and she is just a good horse,” Johnson said.

Avantage will not be perturbed by the likely Slow7 surface that presents at Te Rapa on Saturday, proving adept in most conditions, while her chief rivals Levante ($3.80) and Coventina Bay ($5.50) are likely to be standing her a fair start.

“It’s only a small field and it is going to be a tactical affair. There is not really one horse that you think is just going to jump and lead. There are a couple of horses that are wanting to get back like Coventina Bay and Levante, so at least with Avantage she has got the gate speed that you can take a position,” Johnson said

“Hopefully I can sit outside the leader and she dashes away like last time there,” she said, referring to the star mare’s win in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m). – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Transatlantic Takes $1million Five Diamonds Prelude
Transatlantic’s lucrative spring carnival continued at Randwick with an arrogant victory in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude.
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..
Sale Cup Winner Adds to Fastnet Rock Super Weekend
It’s been quite the weekend for the late great champion sire Fastnet Rock with a Cox Plate quinella on Saturday and then on Sunday he produced a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding El Rocko captured the $200,000 Listed Sale Cup (1600m).
Cream Rises at Trentham
A half-sister by Hello Youmzain (Fr) to dual Group I winner Mustang Valley, exciting filly Cream Tart is set to line up in one of the major three-year-old races over New Zealand Cup Week following her impressive win in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old (1400m) at Trentham.
From FNQ To Sha Tin - Aussie Bred Sprinter Wins G2 Premier Bowl
Some horses arrive in Hong Kong with a very different back story - Fresh from winning the $20million The Everest with Ka Ying Rising, David Hayes was back in the winner’s list at Sha Tin on Sunday when Tomodachi Kokoroe won the Group II Premier Bowl (1200m).
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 26
Here is the full list of 74 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.