Star Proisir Mare Levante Arrives in Sydney

Media Release - Sunday March 12

Levante’s Sydney autumn carnival mission has got off to the right start with a smooth trans-Tasman flight ahead of her campaign opener in next Saturday’s Gr. 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m).

Four time G1 winner Levante is in Sydney - image Trish Dunell

Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso have left the quadruple Group One winner in the trusty hands of long-time employee Megan Winter, the regular rider of Levante and fellow high-profile stablemate Legarto in routine trackwork at their Matamata base.

The Kelsos were relieved to get a call from Winter early on Sunday afternoon telling them that Levante had arrived at expat Richard and Judy Collett’s Warwick Farm stable in excellent shape.

“I loaded her on the float to the airport at 4.30 this morning and Megan rang at 1.30 this afternoon to say she had arrived and was a happy horse,” Ken Kelso said.

“That’s nine hours from stable to stable, which is as good as you could expect, so that’s a good start.”

Levante, who won the Gr. 1 El Cheapo Cars WFA Classic (1600m) at Otaki two weeks ago, did her final piece of serious work with regular local raceday rider Ryan Elliot in the saddle on Saturday morning.

“Ryan was happy to come across and give us a further line on her,” Kelso said, “and it was good to hear a good report from him.

“She headed across in the right condition and she’ll only need a bit of a hitout on Wednesday ahead of the weekend.

“It’s a big help to get stabling out at Warwick Farm with Richard and Judy, plus we’ve got Andrew Calder available to ride her if we need him.

“I’m planning to head over on Friday, but Megan knows what she’s doing and everything else is organised.”

Calder, who is married to the Colletts’ daughter Natasha, resumed his career recently after an injury-enforced layoff, and to date has finished second, third and fourth in three rides for his father-in-law.

Levante will be ridden in the George Ryder by another expat, Mick Dee, who rode Levante in her two fourth placings at Flemington last year and also partnered Legarto in her stunning win in the Gr. 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington last weekend.

Advertisement

Dee’s massive season continued at Rosehill on Saturday when he partnered the Chris Waller-trained lightweight Espiona to a narrow win in the Gr. 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m).

Besides Levante, he will also continue his association with his Gr. 1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Little Brose in the Gr. 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m).

Kelso is relaxed at the prospect of Levante coming up against the likes of Godolphin’s star performer Anamoe and the Waller-trained Fangirl in the George Ryder.

“That’s the race we decided to kick off her campaign and you can’t let horses like Anamoe scare you off,” he said.

“We could have dodged Jacquinot (with Legarto) in the Australian Guineas but we didn’t, and besides, we’d still be delighted to run second to Anamoe.”

Levante holds entries for the A$4 million Gr.1 Doncaster Mile and A$1 million Gr.1 Queen of the Turf Stakes, both over 1600m, at Randwick on April 1 and April 8 respectively.

“All going to plan we’re more likely to run in the Queen of the Turf,” Kelso said. “The three-week gap between races suits better and it’s likely to be a smaller field than the Doncaster.”

Kelso reports that Legarto, who arrived back from Melbourne on Tuesday after her Flemington heroics, is now in the spelling paddock for six to eight weeks, with plans yet to be confirmed for her spring campaign.

“She’s gone out early and will be able to make the most of this good autumn weather, then we’ll get her back in and just potter along with her while we work out a programme.”

The Proisir filly is already guaranteed one important award to go with a three-year-old season of five wins from six starts and stakes of more than $1 million.

She holds a 12-point lead over Polygon on the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year table, and with that filly now in Sydney and the last leg of the series, the Gr. 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m), scheduled for Saturday, Legarto cannot be beaten for the title. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Friday June 6
Here is the full list of 31 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
G1 Queen of the Turf Next for Levante
Top-class mare Levante has taken no harm from her courageous effort in the Gr.1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) with the focus now on a date against her own sex.
North Pacific 2YO Ready to Win
Byerley Park trainer Steven Cole will head to Ellerslie with a quartet of runners on Saturday, and he is particularly upbeat about the chances of Pacific Breeze in the Network Visuals 1200.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 Queensland Oaks
Unbeaten this preparation, Philia will be looking to emulate her half-sister Duais in winning the $1million Group I BRC Queensland Oaks (2200m) on Saturday, but a swarm of up and comers are nipping at her heels, so who are they?
A Passion That Lasts a Lifetime
A passion for pedigrees and thoroughbreds is often one that lasts a lifetime and so it has been for one of the co-breeders of Bravery, who contacted me this week following our earlier and very well read story on current 2YO star Cool Archie.
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
Inglis Ready 2 Race Entries Open
Entries for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale – Australasia’s most progressive 2YO Sale – are now open.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday that featured some interesting winners including stakes-placed filly Horseshoe Hill, a couple of unraced youngsters by Zoustar and the highest priced yearling by Prague.
SWs in foal to Wootton Bassett and Snitzel headline the June (Early) Online Sale
Stakes winners in foal to Wootton Bassett and Snitzel, along with a significant number of young, well-bred racing and breeding prospects headline another intriguing catalogue for the Inglis Digital June (Early) Online Sale.
Proisir Mare Does it Again! Levante Wins G1 Telegraph
Champion sprinting mare Levante returned to the scene of her inaugural Group One victory on Saturday and made it back-to-back triumphs in the Gr.1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) after another titanic struggle in the home straight.