Despite being delayed a week, the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1600m) lived up to its billing as one of the races of the season, as Avantage made it Group 1 win No 9 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 yesterday after the Te Aroha meeting last week was abandoned after race three due to a slippery track.
Facing a small but quality line-up of mares on a tricky slow8 surface, Avantage and jockey Danielle Johnson were at the peak of their powers as they dictated the tempo in the race by sitting outside pacemaker Familia throughout.
Asked for a serious effort shortly after entering the home straight, Avantage found a small margin on Travelling Light and Coventina Bay and held them at bay in a desperate finish. The judge couldn't split Travelling Light and Coventina Bay who dead-heated for second place while second-favourite Levante was left running on for fourth.
With Richards at Randwick in Sydney to oversee stable runners Amarelinha, Probabeel and Entriviere, it was up to his father Paul to take the congratulations after the race.