Wednesday Racing: Expensive Avantaggia has big future

Cover image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)

Geelong Cup meeting abandoned

Wednesday’s two Listed races, the Geelong Cup and Geelong Classic, were abandoned after high winds made racing conditions dangerous. The meeting will run on Thursday instead.

“Subsequent to the running of Race 3, following concerns raised from Geelong Racing Club and the riders regarding the high winds, the start of the next race was delayed indefinitely to allow Stewards to gather more data and forecasts from Emergency Services and the Bureau of Meteorology,” stated the Racing Victoria steward’s report.

“Following this information, it was established that significant wind activity would be in the area for some time without any surety that it may subside. As a result, Stewards, in consultation with the Geelong Racing Club and the riders at the meeting, felt that the conditions were not suitable for racing and thereby postponed the meeting at 3:02 pm.

“The remainder of the meeting will be postponed until tomorrow, Thursday 23 October 2025.”

Wootton Bassett’s sale topper wins at second start

In New Zealand, Te Akau Racing’s sale topping $2.1 million Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase, now 3-year-old filly Avantaggia (Wootton Bassett {GB}) won her maiden in fine style at Te Aroha. Having only her second start, she won by three-quarters of a length for jockey Opie Bosson. Avantaggia was fourth on debut in mid-September.

“It’s a bit of a full-circle moment. We had so much to do with her mum and she has got plenty of her traits,” said co-trainer Sam Bergerson.

“She was aided by a very good ride by Opie. He got a lovely track into the race and saved all the ground, which was probably the winning of it. I think it was a sharp enough field, so hopefully she can go on with it. I am excited to see what is next.”

The filly, who is the first foal of multiple Group 1 winner Avantage (Fastnet Rock), will be aimed at stakes class next. “We will just see how she comes through it. The goal for her is certainly black-type and there are plenty of races coming up over that Christmas period, so hopefully we can steer her towards one of those.”

Sale Info: Te Akau Racing sold their Group 1-winning mare Avantage for NZ$4.1 million on New Zealand Bloodstock’s online platform Gavelhouse Plus to Coolmore Stud. Coolmore presented Avantaggia at the Gold Coast where she topped the sale.

Pedigree Notes: Avantage won nine Group 1 races in New Zealand and was crowned Champion 2YO. She is a half-sister to Listed winner Asathought (So You Think {NZ}) and both are out of Listed winner and Group 1-placed Asavant (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}). Avantage has a 2-year-old filly and a yearling filly both by I Am Invincible, with no foal in 2025.

Avantaggia’s second dam Asavant is a half-sister to G1 Centenary Sprint Cup winner D B Pin (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) who was also multiple times Group 1-placed in Hong Kong.

Swift Legend wins at Warwick Farm

Dundeel (NZ)’s colts have far outstripped his fillies with eight Group 1 winning colts or geldings and only the one filly to date. On Wednesday, Les Bridge-trained 3-year-old colt Swift Legend (Dundeel {NZ}) fought hard to score his first victory in the opening race at Warwick Farm. He was coming off a last start third at the same track over the shorter trip of 1100 metres and had to overcome interference to eek out his placing that day.

“He's a young horse who is coming along. He’s by Dundeel so he’ll get better as he gets older. I’ll just take him through his grades,” trainer Les Bridge told TTR.

Unplaced in three starts at two, Swift Legend has grown into himself at three and his future looks bright.

Sale Info: Sold by Arrowfield Stud at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Swift Legend was purchased by Legend Racing for $180,000.

Pedigree Notes: He is the first foal of Global Queen (Snitzel) who has a yearling colt by Maurice (Jpn) and a colt foal by Ole Kirk. Global Queen is a full sister to G1 Diamond Stakes winner Summer Passage, who travelled to Australia and ran second in the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes.

Summer Passage and Global Queen’s dam Subsequent is a winning full sister to Listed winner Order Of The Sun (Encosta De Lago) as well as being a half-sister to Listed winner Beauty (Smart Missile) and Listed winner Get To Work (Snippets).

Other notable stakes winners in the family include Hong Kong Classic Mile winner Scintillation (Danehill {USA}), Group 2 winner Shania Dane (Danehill {USA}), recent Listed Talindert Stakes winner Aardvark (Capitalist) and G3 Gloaming Stakes winner Head Of State (American Pharoah {USA}).

Frosty Girl makes it three from three

Kiwi owner Glenn Ritchie enjoyed another victory on Wednesday at Warwick Farm with his 4-year-old mare Frosty Girl (NZ) (Super Seth) who took her unbeaten record to three from three for trainer Chris Waller.

Having been given a pile of trials by Waller, Frosty Girl debuted in June last season, winning at Warwick Farm over 1300 metres. She returned to the same track three weeks later to win over the same trip. Sent for a spell, today’s outing was over 1400 metres on a much firmer track with hot and blustery conditions in Sydney.

Super Seth burst onto the stallion scene last season with four Group 1 winners, including La Dorado (NZ) in New Zealand as a juvenile. In Australia, he sired three Classic winners being G1 Randwick Guineas winner Linebacker (NZ), G1 Queensland Derby winner Maison Louis (NZ) and G1 Australian Guineas winner Feroce (NZ).

Sale Info: Purchased by Waller Racing and Guy Mulcaster for NZ$150,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale from Waikato Stud’s draft.

Pedigree Notes: The second foal of the raced once Oh So Chilled (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), Frosty Girl’s older half-brother October (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) has won five races. Oh So Chilled has a 2-year-old and a yearling filly both by Savabeel.

Oh So Chilled is a half-sister to Listed Rowley Mile winner Savacool (NZ) (Savabeel) and this is the family of Listed winner and Group 1-placed The Big Chill (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).