With the eyes of the racing world fixed on the superb Golden Slipper meeting at Rosehill, it may not have been the most opportune time for Sun Stud's ultra-consistent Magnus to record another stakes double.
The locals had plenty to cheer about when the Shane Nichols-trained Streets of Avalon captured the Listed Hareeba Stakes at Mornington.
Sent off a lukewarm $5 favourite under apprentice Zac Spain, the 4yo son of Magnus defeated Bons Away (Bon Hoffa) by a length with Sniztkraft (Snitzel) one and a half lengths back in third.
Just over 12 months ago, Streets Of Avalon was third on the Group III Zeditave Stakes and came in to the Hareeba off the back of a third in the Listed March Stakes at Flemington.
It advances his record to 5 wins, 7 seconds and 8 thirds from 30 starts with earnings of $534,360
"He's an amazing horse," Nichols told AAP.
"To bring him back from 1400 metres in seven days to win at 1200 metres, the staff need to be congratulated.
"He's had a long prep and it doesn't happen easily so to win the Hareeba, on the home track, I'm really chuffed about that.
"There's a Listed race in two weeks at Caulfield over 1400 metres, so we'll go there and see how it unfolds."
A homebred for Warren Racing, Streets Of Avalon is the best of two winners out of the Black Minnaloushe mare Kamuniak who was a $75,000 yearling purchase at the 2009 NZB Premier Yearling Sale.
Kamuniak is a sister to the Champion 2YO in NZ in 2005-06, Joker Wild who numbered the Group 1 ARC Diamond Stakes and Group 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes among his seven wins.
Kamuniak has a yearling filly Magnus and a filly foal Starspangledbanner. She was bred back to Magnus last year but missed.
Streets Of Avalon became the 18th stakes-winner for Magnus and he did not have to wait long for number 19.
It came with the Simon Miller-trained 2yo filly Rio Del Mar in the Group III Gimcrack Stakes at Ascot.
Ridden by Chris Parnham, the fast-finishing Rio Del Mar turned the tables on her Supremacy Stakes conqueror Prim And Proper (Alfred Nobel) by a half-head. Miss West Coast (Safeguard was half a length back in third.
"She was good, wasn't she?" Miller told The West Australian.
"Her first run (second to Prim And Proper) was enormous.
"We think highly of her so we weren't afraid to go straight into a stakes race at her first start and she did us proud.
Rio Del Mar will likely be joined by stablemates Niccovi (6th) and Amelia's On Fire (fourth) in the Group II Karrakatta Plate (1200m) on April 6.
"Amelia's On Fire (Sizzling) I thought was a good run. She was always going to be vulnerable going into this one but she'll strip fitter. Niccovi (Nicconi) was outstanding," Miller said.
They will all likely meet up with the Helmet gelding Beethoven who forty minutes earlier opened his stakes account with a narrow win in the Listed Perth Stakes.
Consigned to the 2017 Inglis Australian Weanling Sales by Erinvale Thoroughbreds, Rio Del Mar was purchased by Aquanita Racing for $20,000.
She is the best of three winners out of the unraced Encosta de Lago mare Costanera who is a three-quarter sister to Group 1VRC Emirates Stakes winner Titanic Jack and a half to Group II MVRC Alister Clark Stakes winner Chill Party (Nicconi).
Purchased for just $4,000 at the 2009 Inglis Australian Easter Broodmare Sale, Costanera missed in 2016 and was not covered in 2017. She visited Cable Bay (IRE) last spring.
