Kiwis play supporting role as Avilius takes Ranvet

[Chief Stipe]

Avilius lived up to his favouritism with a stylish performance in today’s Gr. 1 Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill, but there was a strong New Zealand flavour among the second and third placegetters.

Our dual Group One winner Danzdanzdance was a $5,000 yearling purchase taking on the global might of Godolphin, and she did her big group of connections proud with a strong performance for third.

Shuffled back into an awkward position on the inside rounding the home turn, she powered home to get within half a length of second. Avilius, who was given a dream run by Kerrin McEvoy, finished a further two and a quarter lengths ahead.

“There were a few factors against us a little bit,” Danzdanzdance’s co-trainer Chris Gibbs told www.theinformant.co.nz. “I won’t say we would have won the race, but possibly we could have run second with a bit of better luck.

“She over-raced for a large part of the race. She probably ended up one spot further back than we wanted, but we really wanted to get cover and that’s what Opie (Bosson, jockey) was trying to do.

“She actually flew the gates, but we weren’t sure about going forward on a track like this. So Opie tried to ease back, but it took quite a while for the field to sort themselves out.

“She was in an awkward position coming into the turn and was stuck in possibly the worst part of the track, down on the inside.

“But we’re really proud of the way she found the line, and her value has just gone whoosh. A placing in a Group One weight-for-age race in Sydney, on a big day like today, it’s like winning a Group One at home. We have to be happy.

“We’ll see how she comes through this, but at this stage I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t carry on.”

The Gr. 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, run for A$4 million at Randwick on April 13, has been identified as a possible target.

Today’s placing lifted Danzdanzdance’s prize-money earnings past $500,000 – a remarkable return on her $5,000 purchase price.

Runner-up He’s Eminent is an Irish-bred son of Frankel who has never set foot in New Zealand, but he nevertheless has strong connections to this country.

He is trained by the decorated New Zealand olympian Sir Mark Todd, and he carries the colours of Sir Peter Vela.

He’s Eminent was a Group Two winner in France and recorded multiple Group One placings (fourth in the Epsom Derby, third in the Irish Champion Stakes).

Ridden by expat New Zealand jockey James McDonald, He’s Eminent went out to a clear lead and took some catching in the straight. Only Avilius was able to reel him in.

McDonald pointed out after the race that this was the five-year-old’s first start since the beginning of August.

“Very proud of his effort,” he said. “He was gallant in defeat. It took a fit horse to beat him.”
For Avilius, today’s win was sweet redemption after he finished only fifth as hot favourite in the Australian Cup at Flemington earlier this month.

“He bounced back from that last-start defeat in the Australian Cup,” McEvoy said. “I think he enjoyed getting back to Sydney and getting onto some softer ground. I had a nice run through, following Auvray, he picked up really well when I asked him. He powered through the ground. Soon after I asked him I thought ‘I’ve got this won’.

“He is pretty electric and that ground assisted him. He’s been well managed by James (Cummings, trainer) and they came here with a good amount of confidence today. The further I went in the run, the better he travelled. He might go to 2400 metres in the old BMW, the Tancred, that’s still to be decided. Winx is the main girl in the Queen Elizabeth, but he can put up a good fight I’m sure.”

Avilius, a five-year-old son of Pivotal, has now won nine of his 17 starts and more than A$1.49 million.

“He’s a super horse and that was a demonstration of the supreme turn of foot that he can exhibit,” Cummings said. “Kerrin wasn’t here to ride the track, he was here to ride the horse and I think that was the key to getting the horse over the line.

“He had a bit to turn around from his performance in the Australian Cup and we knew it, but he’s had a fantastic fortnight and I’m just proud of the team.

“That’s the sort of weight-for-age promise that he demonstrated when he hit the racetrack in Australia last year. He’s got up and won us a Group One, so we’re thrilled for the horse.”

Cummings has yet to decide whether Avilius will back up in next Saturday’s 2400-metre Tancred.

“I don’t want to make any decisions on race day, it will be up to the way Avilius pulls up,” he said. “We hold a nomination for the Tancred next week, but it’s very much a team effort to get him here and he’s done a wonderful job to improve many many lengths since getting back from Melbourne.”

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