Avilius aims to bounce back at the Gold Coast

A string of solid performances at Group One level, the prospect of a soft track and a step up in distance are all expected to assist a return to winning form for Avilius in Saturday’s G2 Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast.

A class galloper in France before beginning his Australian career with four straight wins, Avilius has consistently performed well at the highest level, as he has shown in the three runs of his current preparation.

Avilius (Nash Rawiller) resumed with a third placing, beaten less than a half-length, behind Verry Elleegant in the G1 Chipping Norton Stakes at Randwick in February and got even closer when third again in the G1 George Ryder before his last-start fifth under handicap conditions in last month’s G1 Doncaster Mile.

“He’d have won the Chipping Norton in another couple of strides, he flew home again in the George Ryder and he finished off stylishly in the Doncaster after coming from near last and under equal top weight,” said his trainer James Cummings.

“The class of this fabulous old warrior has shone through since the day he arrived in Australia four years ago and it has remained undiminished ever since.”

“Over an extra 200m here, at weight-for-age and with a softer track he should have a lot more in his favour.

“I’d like to think he could take up a slightly more forward position on a track such as this which is probably a bit tighter than is ideal for him.

“The form he is showing gives him an undeniable chance to get the sort of result he deserves.”

Among the other chances in the Hollindale are the 14-time G1 winner Melody Belle, Shared Ambition and Nettoyer, a last start winner of the G1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Randwick.

In Adelaide, the consistent two-year-old Cloudy (Todd Pannell) attempts her fourth victory, and her third at Stakes level, in the G3 South Australian Sires’ Produce Stakes at Morphettville.

As well as a rise in class form her last-start win in the Listed Breeders’ Stakes, Cloudy has to cope with an extra 200m in Saturday’s 1,400m event.

But Cummings is satisfied the filly can cope.

“This filly has shown all the attributes of a thorough professional who is capable of taking advantage of whatever opportunities are presented to her,” Cummings said.

“That quality was never more evident than at her last start when she settled beautifully, took a run that opened to her and put the race away.”

“She gets out to 1,400m here, which is something of a challenge, but she’s pleased the team down south and the ability to settle that she showed in the Breeders’ Stakes could be decisive in a race that contains several in-form rivals.”

Shock Action looks to surprise: Irish-born colt Shock Action aims to strike a rare blow for foreign-bred horses in the G1 NHK Mile Cup on Sunday.

The prestigious Tokyo contest was the only G1 race for three-year-olds in Japan open to horses bred abroad when it was established in 1996. US-bred runners won the first six editions but locally born horses have dominated the roll of honour since 2002.

Shock Action (Hironobu Tanabe) quickened strongly for a decisive victory in the G3 Niigata Nisai Stakes in August, one of two wins over a mile at Niigata for the son of Gleneagles last season.

The Ryuji Okubo-trained runner trailed home down the field in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity at Hanshin in December and was beaten just under six lengths when 10th on his seasonal return in the seven-furlong G3 Falcon Stakes at Chukyo in March.