Legarto Flying Ahead of $1million Aotearoa Classic

Media Release - Thursday January 25

Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso couldn’t be happier with heir glamour mare Legarto ahead of Saturday’s inaugural running of the $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m).

Legarto will contest the inaugural $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.  Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

The Group One winner returned in superb fashion at Ellerslie earlier this month when taking out the Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic Preview (1400m) by two lengths over Saturday race rivals Sacred Satono and Sharp ‘N’ Smart, and she has continued to please her handlers in her work.

“She has really thrived since Ellerslie, she has thrived the whole preparation really,” Ken Kelso told TAB NZ.

“She has done everything right this prep and I couldn’t be happier with her condition going into the race. All you need is a bit of luck.”

Kelso has trained many topliners over his long training career and rates the daughter of Proisir at the top of that list.

“I think she is probably the best, and that is a big call when you have Levante and going way back to Love Dance, Xanadu, and many more,” he said.

“She has certainly got those attributes that make a great horse – she has got a great temperament, she is a good eater, and everything about her is what you look for in a horse.”

Legarto carries the colours of part-owner Philip Brown, who was delighted when he saw gate seven beamed against the Auckland Sky Tower alongside his mare’s name at the barrier draw function on Wednesday night.

“It’s absolutely ideal,” he said. “Catherine (wife) asked me when we were driving up what I would like to draw, and I said seven or eight will be perfect. It is a terrific draw and I think even Ken will be pleased.

“She is in a great space and Ken and Bev do an amazing job. She will acquit herself very well on Saturday.

Advertisement

“It’s exciting, but she has still got to win the race.”

It wasn’t only Brown who was beaming at the barrier function, with punters also in a buoyant mood after TAB bookmakers announced they were paying out on futures bets on Legarto in the Aotearoa Classic.

“We made the decision to pay Legarto out in the futures books in the Aotearoa Classic,” TAB bookmaker Thad Taylor said.

“We have had a good look at the field and we thought this would be a nice promotion to get onboard with.

“It is never a one-horse race, funnier things have happened, but we thought for the evening, for the promotion, for the event, and for the horse, we would pay Legarto out in futures. She was boosted in those markets as well, so all those bets are in TAB customers’ accounts now.”

While shooting to claim the lion’s share in Saturday’s $1 million feature, Legarto will also be aiming to put herself in a good position to claim the $500,000 Summer Series Bonus on offer by Entain and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.

The series kicked off in last Saturday’s Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) where Puntura claimed top honours, and the maximum nine points on offer to contribute towards his series total.

The Aotearoa Classic is the second leg of the series, with horses having had to have contested either of the first two series races to be eligible for the winning bonus, before progressing on to the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 10 and Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on March 9.

At the conclusion of the series, the horse with the highest points will earn a $500,000 bonus for their connections, with the runner-up earning $100,000, and the third placegetter taking home $50,000. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Star Proisir Mare Legarto Wins G1 Herbie Dyke
Matamata trainers Ken and Bev Kelso have long believed Legarto had the potential to excel over 2000m, and their stable star proved them right on Saturday with a sparkling performance in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa.
Winning Return for the Best in Australia - Via Sistina
Set to be crowned Australia’s Horse of the Year for last season, the mighty Fastnet Rock mare Via Sistina (IRE) returned on a rain soaked track at Randwick on Saturday to win the $1million Group I ATC Winx Stakes (1400m).
Wootton Bassett Juvenile G2 Double
Wootton Bassett (GB) featured in Ireland overnight at The Curragh with two stakes-winning juveniles, Constitution River taking out the the Group II Futurity (7f), while the Group II Debutante (7f) went to the filly Composing, who comes from the family of Amelia’s Jewel.
Third Black Type Win For Snitzel’s Lazzura
A member of the Waller team to hold a dual acceptance leading into Saturday’s Randwick meeting, it was the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) where 4yo Snitzel mare Lazzura came out on top, recording her third black type victory.
Sterling Express Wins G2 Foxbridge Plate
Sterling Express stepped up to Group level for the first time in Saturday’s Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa, and a stunning last-to-first performance showed that he belongs.
Big Pay Day Looms for Proisir Mare Legarto
The connections of short-priced favourite Legarto are in for a massive payday following Saturday’s $450,000 Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie, irrespective of the result.
Wuddzz Caps Fine 24 Hours For Dwyer
Handy stayer Wuddzz came with a well-timed run under Tim Clark to land the Gold Coast Turf Club Trophy (2400m) at Randwick.
Unbeaten Run Continues For Autumn Glow
Resuming off the back of two solid barrier trials efforts, Chris Waller’s Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) stepped up to open company for the first time, with the $1.8m yearling purchase extending her unbeaten run to five with victory in the Group 3 ATC Toy Show Quality (1100m) at Randwick.
Long Awaited Return for Legarto
Multiple Group One winner Legarto will make her long-awaited return to racing when she heads to her home track at Matamata on Saturday to contest the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m).
Carlyon Stakes To Baraqiel – Second SW For Snitzel
Successful in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) last time in, Sniztel’s 7yo son Baraqiel continued his outstanding record at the Moonee Valley circuit, resuming to win the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m) first up, highlighting potential Group 1 spring aims.