All Avenues lead to Morphettville

Former Widden shuttler Anabaa started the weekend with a G1 winner in New Zealand and he tied up the loose ends when Avenue captured the G3 R N Irwin Stakes in Adelaide on Monday.

Ananbandana confirmed her status as New Zealand’s best juvenile in the G1 Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie on Saturday.  And Avenue proved she is one of Australia’s best sprinting mares with a half-length win over speed machines Diplomatic Force and Morgan Dollar at Morphettville.

Avenue (4m Anabaa – Virage by Kenmare) has won 8 races in 18 starts and was coming off superb second to Eagle Falls in the G1 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield.  

She is raced by Limerick Lane owner Gerry Ryan who is still on Cloud 9 after winning the 2010 Melbourne Cup with imported French stayer Americain.

Ryan bought Avenue’s dam Virage for $200,000 at the 2003 Inglis Easter Broodmare Sale.  Her value when her first Anabaa filly Virage De Fortune came out and won the G1 QTC Sires’ Produce Stakes and G1 MVRC Australia Stakes.

Ryan sent Virage back to Widden Stud in 2005 and Avenue was the result.  The mare’s latest is a Redoute’s Choice colt foaled in October.

Trainer Peter Moody said Avenue will likely clash with stablemate Panipique (Testa Rossa) in the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville on March 26.