Heavenly display from Lake Avenue at Aqueduct

Lake Avenue continued her superb start to the year with another dominant victory on her Stakes return in the Heavenly Prize Invitational at Aqueduct, USA, on Saturday, 6 March.

The Bill Mott-trained four-year-old, an easy winner of an allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park at the start of February, raced in fourth for much of the mile contest before cruising up to stalk the front two turning in.

Lake Avenue led on the bridle over a furlong and a half out and soon powered clear. She was eased near the line by Manny Franco to come home six and three-quarter lengths clear of Portal Creek.

It was a second dirt Stakes win at Aqueduct for the Godolphin homebred, who annexed the G2 Demoiselle Stakes over the same distance as a juvenile.

Godolphin USA President Jimmy Bell said: “Lake Avenue’s winter vacation has seen her turn over a new leaf. Her comeback race was most impressive and Bill Mott was confident enough to ship her up to New York for this race.

“She was much the best today. We are very pleased to keep her in training this year and she has shown her old form again.”