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A Pivotal Time For Avilius

3 minute read

Avilius, the boom stayer of the spring, is quickly becoming the best import by noted sire Pivotal to perform in Australia.

Avilius
Avilius Picture: Racing and Sports

Avilius, a 4YO gelding, is denying his paternal breeding as Pivotal was an outstanding sprinter, racing only six times for four sprint wins including a G1 double over 1000m in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

A son of the late Nureyev stallion Polar Falcon, Pivotal was bred and raced by Cheveley Park Stud and retired to the famous Newmarket nursery at the end of his 3YO season.

Now 25, Pivotal has sired more than 950 winners of more than 3140 races and over $121 million.

They include 144 stakes winners including 28 G1 winners but only a dozen of his top level winners have won over 2000m or further.

They include the Dubai World Cup winner African Story, English Oaks and Irish winner Sariska and German Derby winner Buzzword.

Pivotal’s sire sons include the French champion Siyouni, Kyllachi, who stands with his sire at Cheveley Park, champion miler Farhh, NZ-based Captain Rio and former shuttler Excellent Art, sire of the G1 Stradbroke Handicap winner Under The Louvre.

Pivotal is also one of the world’s leading broodmare sires. He is currently leading broodmare sire in Europe ahead of Galileo with his daughters responsible for 14 G1 winners including the imported Australian winners The United States (Galileo) and Polarisation (Echo Of Light).

Frankel’s champion son Cracksman is also out of the Pivotal mare Rhadegunda, whose third dam Lore (Lorenzaccio) was a three-quarter sister to the legendary Eight Carat.

The Godolphin owned Avilius took his record to six wins and three placings in 11 starts when he won the G3 Bart Cummings over 2500m at Flemington on Saturday to secure ballot exemption for next month’s $7 million Melbourne Cup (3200m).

He remains unbeaten in four Australian starts for trainer James Cummings after earlier performances in France included a Listed win at 2000m and three G2 placings including a second to Cracksman in the Prix Niel over 2400m at Chantilly.

The stamina that is coming to the fore in Avilius could be credited to the great Sunday Silence, sire of his dam Alessadria.

A winner up to 2400m in Japan, Alessadria is also the dam of Saint Baudolino, a G2 winner in France and G1 placed in the French Derby and Grand Prix du Paris; Herculanus, the winner of nine races up to 1600m in Italy; and Army Bulletin, a French stakes winner.

Alessadria was served by Sunday Silence in Japan before she was sent to England where she foaled Avilius.

Alessadria is from the French G3 winner and G1-placed mare Tereshkova (Mr. Prospector), also the dam of the good sire Lycius.

Pivotal sired his 144th stakes winner when Laraaib won the G3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot in the UK on Saturday.


Racing and Sports

Flemington

Saturday, 06th October 2018

7
16:20
(local)

The Bart Cummings (G3)

WT: 54.0kg Type: OPEN
AUD $302,500
2500m TURF GOOD
7
16:20
(local)
AUD $302,500
2500m GOOD

The Bart Cummings (G3)

WT: 54.0kg Type: OPEN

Godolphin's French-raced import Avilius is now unbeaten in four starts in Australia in winning this, albeit by a very narrow margin here. He settled back in sixth place, on the rails, tracking a solid tempo before improving (between runners) rounding the home turn. He moved up quickly to take the lead at the 200m and then dug deep under his top weight (58.5kg) to score a game win in a photo and subsequently survive a protest from the runner-up. Lindsay Park-trained/Irish-bred import Jaameh raced back in second last place in the 12-horse field, saved ground on the inner at the home turn, got through to challenge coming to the 200m and then battled strongly for a close second, later protested unsuccessfully against the winner. Yogi raced in ninth place, improved (between runners) at the home turn, got into clear running at the 200m and then ran on well to take third. Northwest Passage chased the frontrunning leader (Harrison), briefly took the lead at the 300m and then held on well for fourth, beaten just under three lengths.



FP Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 1. AVILIUS (GB) 4yo G
PIVOTAL (GB) - ALESSANDRIA (GB)
GLYN SCHOFIELD
JAMES CUMMINGS
$2.38
58.5kg
Godolphin
2nd 9. JAAMEH (IRE) 5yo G
IFFRAAJ (GB) - MISS GIBRALTAR (GB)
MICHAEL WALKER
D & B HAYES & T DABERNIG
$13
54kg
Shadwell Stud Australasia Ltd (Mgr: G M Kelly)

Sales Information

3rd 10. YOGI (NZ) 6yo G
RAISE THE FLAG (GB) - MALOZZA (AUS)
CRAIG WILLIAMS
DARREN WEIR
$5.5
54kg
Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: D P Dance), Brittain Racing (Mgr: P L Brittain), Mangan Racing (Mgr: T G Mangan), D R Wagner, O F Kelly, S N Davidson, M E Basile, T J Little, M L Byrne, A G Cid, B R Fellows & S M Frost

Sales Information

4th 8. NORTHWEST PASSAGE (AUS) 5yo G
SO YOU THINK (NZ) - DANEVADE (AUS)
DWAYNE DUNN
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$21
54kg

Sales Information

5th 3. VENGEUR MASQUE (IRE) 6yo G
MONSUN (GER) - VENETIAN BEAUTY (USA)
PATRICK MOLONEY
MICHAEL MORONEY
$21
57kg
6th 15. WHEAL LEISURE (AUS) 5yo M
ARTIE SCHILLER (USA) - SADIYA (AUS)
JYE MCNEIL
ARCHIE ALEXANDER
$101
54kg

Sales Information

7th 2. VENICE BEACH (IRE) 4yo H
GALILEO (IRE) - DANEDROP (IRE)
BEN MELHAM
LIAM HOWLEY
$10
57kg

Sales Information

8th 4. ZACADA (NZ) 6yo G
ZABEEL (NZ) - LACADA (AUS)
DAMIAN LANE
MURRAY BAKER & ANDREW FORSMAN
$101
56.5kg

Sales Information

9th 12. HUSH WRITER (JPN) 3yo C
RULERSHIP (JPN) - STAR OF SAPPHIRE (USA)
STEPHEN BASTER
G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT
$15
54kg
10th 13. CHEQUERED FLAG (NZ) 7yo G
RAISE THE FLAG (GB) - STAR OF MULWALA (NZ)
DEAN YENDALL
DARREN WEIR
$101
54kg

Sales Information

11th 5. MEGABLAST (NZ) 7yo G
SHINKO KING (IRE) - THIRST (NZ)
JOHN ALLEN
DARREN WEIR
$26
56kg

Sales Information

12th 11. HARRISON (GB) 5yo G
SIXTIES ICON (GB) - EXCELLENT DAY (IRE)
ANDREW MALLYON
LIAM HOWLEY
$6
54kg

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