Lake Avenue ready to roll again in G2 Gallant Bloom

Lake Avenue looks to reward a string of fine sprinting efforts with victory in the G2 Gallant Bloom Handicap over six and a half furlongs at Belmont Park, USA, on Sunday, 26 September.

The four-year-old has finished second on her three most recent starts for Bill Mott, including chasing home Champion sprinter Gamine in the G1 Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga in late August.

Lake Avenue also ran an excellent race at Saratoga when finding G1 winner Bell’s The One a neck too strong in the G2 Honorable Miss Handicap in July and was beaten the same margin in the G3 Bed o’ Roses Stakes at Belmont Park in June.

Jose Ortiz comes in for the ride on the homebred daughter of Tapit, who was successful in the nine-furlong G2 Demoiselle Stakes as a juvenile.

Godolphin USA President Jimmy Bell said: “Bill Mott feels that six and a half furlongs is a really good distance for Lake Avenue. It’s only four weeks since her really strong effort in the Ballerina but she came out of that race in good shape and has been training very well.

“She is coming up against a G1 winner in Bella Sofia but Lake Avenue has run very impressively against two of the best sprinters in the country on her last two starts.”