Te Akau Racing's Avantage (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) is aiming for a first top-flight rosette in the NZ$200,000 G1 Sistema S. at Ellerslie. One of three bearing the tangerine and blue along with Sword Of Osman (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) and The Real Beel (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}), the Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards trainee has yet to taste defeat and built on two 800-metre Riccarton Park victories in October with a score over course and distance in the Jan. 14 Pearl Series. She made it four on the bounce in the Jan. 27 Listed Karaka Millions, with Bocce (Aus) (Foxwedge {Aus}) third and both of her stablemates off the board.
Sword Of Osman redeemed himself after the Karaka Million with an open-length score in Matamata's G3 Reid & Harrison Ltd. Slipper going the Sistema distance on Feb. 24. He receives the services of Opie Bosson. The Real Beel was a close third in the G2 Matamata Breeders' S. to Spanish Whisper (Aus) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) that same day, and has Danielle Johnson at the controls.
Co-trainer Jamie Richards explained the riding assignments to Racing And Sports, “Opie's struggling a bit with his weight, so he'll ride the boy, Matt Cameron will be on Advantage and Danielle Johnson will ride The Real Beel. Sword Of Osman and Avantage worked nicely this morning [Tuesday] and with a good barrier and a bit of luck, The Real Beel is certainly up to the other two.”
Andrew Fowler's Melt (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) is two-for-two, while competing exclusively in black-type company. The Nigel Tiley trainee saluted by 3 1/2 lengths in Pukekohe's Listed Ashford Lodge S. on Nov. 25 and was last seen adding a group notch to her belt in the G3 Eclipse S. over course and distance here on New Year's Day.
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