Avantage too strong in Sydney

Star New Zealand filly Avantage made a triumphant return to racing with a determined victory in testing conditions in the Group III Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.

Having her first start since winning the Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings in September, the Jamie Richards trained three-year-old rallied strongly in the straight after leading in Saturday’s 1200m race to beat favourite Resin ($4.40) by three-quarters of a length.

Star Reflection ($16) was another 13⁄4-lengths away third on a track rated a heavy (8).

Avantage ($5.50), making her first Australian appearance on Saturday, took her record to seven wins and a second from eight starts which includes a Group One win in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) for two-year-olds in March last year.

‘‘If anything, she probably should be unbeaten,’’ Richards said.

‘‘She got back last and ran home in the quickest sectionals of the day last year when she got beaten in the Sistema Stakes (1200m). She’s very exciting.’’

Richards said Avantage had time off after the Gold Trail Stakes with a muscle issue in her back.

‘‘She just needed a bit of time to come through that,’’ he said.

‘‘But it’s been a great effort by the team to get her back here in such great order.

‘‘I probably didn’t expect her to land in front but I thought it was a lovely, patient ride by Opie Bosson. He never panicked. She got headed but she’s a very good filly and fought back to win well.

‘‘We’re very proud Kiwis and we love coming over here to be competitive and representing New Zealand. It was a pretty special win to come off a decent break and she came over in really good order.’’

The Group II A$1 million Arrowfield Sprint (1200m) for three-year-olds at Randwick on April 13 now looms for Avantage according to Richards.

"She’s always been a high-class filly and hopefully we can work through to The Championships now with a little bit of confidence that she can step up," he said.