AVEC MOI WINS

Avec Moi (4 m Pour Moi – Fuji Belle, by Fuji Kiseki) made it two wins from two starts on the Avondale Racecourse when taking out the $10,000 Avondale Racing Rating 65 1600 metres on 7 March.

Bringing good form, having recently finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in races won by Lovers Lane (Rip Van Winkle) and The Mayor (Rock ‘N’ Pop) at Matamata, she was backed accordingly to start $3.30 tote favourite and the race unfolded ideally.

Away well from barrier two to secure the one-one, then fifth at the 800m, rider Jake Bayliss had her ranging four wide on straightening and she timed her run to score nicely, after reaching the lead 100m out.

On Dead4 footing, Avec Moi ran the mile in 1:37.0.

“The form around her had been very good and third run back from a spell she was a bit fitter,” said co-trainer Pam Gerard.

“She took a couple of runs to come right in her last campaign and being a bit older, and having had a good break, she’s just getting race hard now and it was a perfect ride by Jake (Bayliss).

“They went hard, so he sat off them and presented her at the right time.

“She looks good and while not far away from stepping up to 2000 metres, we’ll probably keep her at a mile for a bit longer. She should be able to keep doing the job for a great bunch of owners.”

Gerard also suggested Avec Moi could be suited by “cut in the ground” that autumn racing generally offers.

Bred by Windsor Park Stud, Avec Moi was a $20,000 purchase, selected by Paul Moroney at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale, and owned by Freddy & Arabella Greenslade, Wayne Boyd, Neville Bidois, Ballymore Stables NZ Ltd, John Eddington, Betty Jones, Chris Flood, Audrey McHardy, Chris & Elizabeth Cowell, and Stephen & Shelley Fry.

Her third dam, Denise’s Joy (Seventh Hussar), topped the 1975-76 Australian 3YO Free Handicaps and one of her progeny, Queensland Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m) winner Joie Denise, has left group one winners Tuesday Joy (Carnegie), Sunday Joy (Sunday Silence), and More Joyous (More than Ready), all raced by the irrepressible John Singleton, who once shouted the bar after his filly Belle du Jour (Dehere) won the Golden Slipper (Gr. 1, 1200m) in 2000 at Rosehill Gardens. It is also the family of Stradbroke (Gr. 1, 1400m) winning stallion Thorn Park.

Avec Moi was strapped by Scott Magee.