After disappointing when unplaced in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield at his most recent start, the 5yo Magnus gelding Streets Of Avalon dropped back in class and distance for Saturday’s Group III Ladbrokes Moonga Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and it proved the winning formula.
Ridden by Ben Melham for Mornington trainer Shane Nichols, Streets Of Avalon was caught wide for the majority of the trip but proved a length too good for Variation (War Chant) with the import Royal Meeting (IRE) (Invincible Spirit) making an auspicious Australian debut a long-head back in third.
“He tries his bloody guts out, he could have given up, but he didn’t, he went again so it’s a good asset,” Melham said.
With his third stakes win Streets Of Avalon advances his record to 7 wins, 7 seconds and 8 thirds from 38 starts with earnings of $782,110.
Nichols said he will rule out the Group 1 $2 million Kennedy Cantala Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Derby Day with his next start likely to be the Group III $200,000 Chatham Stakes (1400m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
“He gets up on the speed and finds the line, he’s very tough,” Nichols said.
“He was exposed early, but he hit the line like a demon.”
A homebred for Warren Racing, Streets Of Avalon is the best of two winners out of the Black Minnaloushe mare Kamuniak who was a $75,000 yearling purchase at the 2009 NZB Premier Yearling Sale.
Kamuniak is a sister to the Champion 2YO in NZ in 2005-06, Joker Wild who numbered the Group 1 ARC Diamond Stakes and Group 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes among his seven wins.
Kamuniak has a yearling filly Magnus and a filly foal Starspangledbanner.
She was bred back to Sun Stud’s Flying Spur stallion Magnus last year but missed.
Standing at Sun Stud at a fee of $16,500 Magnus was also represented by the Group II Caulfield Sprint third Malibu Style
