Link to Share
The connections of exciting galloper Levante will be looking for an indication on any changes to the current trans-Tasman travel restrictions before making a decision on her next raceday assignment.
While one-way travel to Australia is no issue, returning home is a significant headache for New Zealanders, with two weeks quarantine still mandatory and places in managed isolation at a premium.
The four-year-old daughter of Proisir was on her A-game at Ellerslie on Saturday, dominating her rivals in her customary last-to-first style at what was her first try over 1600m.
Most importantly, the high-class mare jumped cleanly from the barriers, having previously bombed the start in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa last month.
Racing: Hawke s Bay owner shares in two wins on big Karaka Millions night
28 Jan, 2021 08:45 PM
9 minutes to read
Need I Say More is at full stretch as jockey Troy Harris urges the gelding to victory in the Group 3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m) at Ellerslie last Saturday.
Hawkes Bay Today
By: John Jenkins
Matamata trainer Jamie Richards prepared the winners of three of the feature races at last Saturday s Karaka Million night at Ellerslie and Waipukurau s Michael Ormsby shared in two of them.
Richards saddled up Need I Say More to triumph in the Group 3 $70,000 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m), On The Bubbles to take out the $1million Karaka Million Two-year-old (1200m) and Entriviere to score in the Group 3 $70,000 Concorde Handicap (1200m).
Link to Share
Racing fans were left shaking their heads at Ellerslie on Saturday evening after witnessing exciting mare Levante take out the Group 2 Westbury Classic (1400m).
For those who had never seen the Proisir four-year-old in action before, they could have been forgiven for ripping up their betting tickets up at the 600m as the $1.40 favourite was dead last in the ten-horse field and struggling to catch the runners immediately ahead of her.
What happened next was succinctly summed up by Levante’s rider Sam Collett when she admitted later that ‘there are good horses and then there are horses like her’.
Punters post-race: Saturday racing in review, January 23 by James Lamb, Luke Sheehan & David Hocking Artorius dominated his rivals at Sandown Image: Getty
A Freedman-trained 2YO stole the show at Sandown, a Kiwi star enhanced her reputation even further, and we saw an all-time sick beat in Sydney. Star Performer
Levante in the Westbury Classic (Ellerslie R3)
Wins don t come much bigger than that of Levante s over the ditch at Ellerslie in the G2 Westbury Classic. The Ken Kelso-trained daughter of Proisir looked like she was in all sorts of bother at the 600m mark when dead-last in the 10-horse field, with plenty of lengths to make up and seemingly having hit a flat spot. But Collett then swung her out to the middle of the track upon straightening and asked Levante for the ultimate effort. It took a bit of riding to get her going but once she hit top gear the star Kiwi mare launched out of the ground to sweep past her rivals and score a surprisingly soft win
Racing: Levante set for big night at Karaka Million
3 Jan, 2021 09:00 AM
3 minutes to read
By: Michael Guerin
New Zealand s most exciting emerging race mare Levante will bypass the Telegraph at Trentham to add more glamour to Karaka Million night at Ellerslie. That sets up a potential clash with the country s most improved race mare in Showoroses.
The 4-year-olds provided some of the fireworks at Ellerslie s huge New Year s Day meeting, with Showoroses leading all the way in the $100,000 Rich Hill Mile, while Levante roared home from last for a stunning third in the Railway.
Co-trainer Ken Kelso confirmed Levante won t be heading south for the Telegraph.