Avalon strikes as Spain stars in Australia Stakes
Last month, Avalon – on Sydney’s Northern Beaches – was in the news for all the wrong reasons as the site of a Covid-19 cluster, but last night, it was Avalon to the fore as Group 1 winner Streets Of Avalon (6 g Magnus – Kamuniak by Black Minnaloushe) scored a first-up victory in the Australia Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Winner of the Futurity Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) last year when dominating from the front, making the Shane Nichols-trained Streets Of Avalon the only Group 1 winner among the six runners, rider Zac Spain instead placed the six-year-old in the slipstream of the early leader Tavisan (Tavistock) last night in a race run at a steady tempo.
Odds-on favourite Viridine (Poet’s Voice) looked to enjoy the perfect trail in behind the leaders before Damien Oliver switched him out three-wide at the 800m, but within a furlong he was the first off the bit as Streets Of Avalon sidled up alongside Tavisan.
While Tavisan – under Jamie Kah – appeared to be travelling stronger than Streets Of Avalon, Spain engaged in a drive, seemingly recognising that a race which drew out his rival’s stamina reserves would be a positive for his horse.
The leaders went stride for stride until the 100 metres when Streets Of Avalon began to assert. Tavisan faded, Viridine made solid ground without ever looking a threat, but it was Streets Of Avalon who raced clear to score by a length and three-quarters, recording his fifth stakes win but just his second at 1200 metres.
Viridine raced into second in the last two strides, toppling Tavisan for the minor spot by a head.
“He’s unbelievable,” the bespectacled Nichols, a grin from ear to ear, told Racing.com. “He’s a six-year-old, he’s had 53 goes. We were a bit worried because he had a few soft tissue issues and he hasn’t been as fluent as he has been, but when the adrenaline kicks in, he can really find the line.
“I may take the accolades but a lot of credit has to go to the whole team that look after this horse, from the vet and farrier, right down to the stable staff. Without them looking after this horse, given he’s had 53 runs and he didn’t win last prep, to win a Group 2 first-up, it’s really special. It’s a soft spot for me, that’s for sure.”
It was the first Group 2 win of Spain’s fledgling career, with the 24-year-old notching up a second stakes win aboard Streets Of Avalon after winning the Hareeba Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Morphettville on the gelding in 2019.
“It’s a massive thrill,” Spain said. “Racing is about opportunities and when you get these opportunities you need to try and grab them with both hands and get the job done.
“People probably had doubts with him after his spring campaign, but he’s come back in terrific order and he loves it around the Valley,” Spain said. “Full credit to Shane and the owners, they’ve been extremely loyal to me with this horse allowing me to get back on him at the start of his prep.
“Tavisan jumped a bit better than me so I wanted to make him work to cross me. Then I wanted to put the pressure on early because I know how tough he is. And once he balanced up, I thought something would have to be pretty good to come off his back and beat him.”
The last four Australia Stakes winners have progressed to the C F Orr Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Caulfield in two weeks but, even though Streets Of Avalon is a Group 1 winner at the course and distance, he is instead likely to bypass that contest in a bid to defend his Futurity Stakes crown fresh.
“We would go and defend the Futurity, I’d say,” Nichols said. “I don’t think we will run before that. We will nurse him through into the Futurity and have another crack.”
Streets Of Avalon is one of four Group 1 winners and 22 individual stakes winners for the ever-reliable Magnus (Flying Spur).
Dam Kamuniak (Black Minnaloushe), an unplaced sister to champion New Zealand two-year-old Jokers Wild, missed to Magnus in 2019 but produced a colt by the Sun Stud stallion in 2020. She was again served by Magnus in September.