Avantage wins Group One Classic at Otaki

Te Akau Racing has produced a one-two finish in the Group One Hanui Farm Classic at Otaki with Avantage beating Prise De Fer.

The quinella came shortly before stable star Melody Belle ran third in the Group One Futurity at Caulfield in Melbourne.

The Jamie Richards-trained Avantage and Prise De Fer fought it out down the Otaki straight.

The four-year-old mare came out on top to add to her win in last month’s Telegraph.

Under a cool ride from Danielle Johnson, travelled sweetly before creeping along the rail at the 500m.

While a number of the day’s winners had come wide in the home straight Avantage gained a critical length on her stablemate.

She held Prise de Fer by three-quarters of a length to give Johnson a second Group One win on Avantage after the Sires’ Produce.

“It’s pretty exciting as it’s my second Group One on her,” Johnson said.

“She’s pretty quirky but the team do a good job with her and she has delivered the goods today.

“I had a chat to Jamie and watching some of the previous races they haven’t been coming too wide so we opted to stay in a little and it’s paid off.

“I was mindful not to go too soon on her as it was a mile today so I had to count to ten which jockeys aren’t too good at.

“I did have a few thoughts go through my head when I saw the tangerine (Prise De Fer) outside me and they weren’t too pleasant, but we still won.”