Promising Winner for Proisir

Media Release - Wednesday October 16

Ken and Bev Kelso have a knack for unearthing quality fillies, and they may have another one on their hands in Levakia, who broke through for her maiden win in impressive fashion in the Dunstan Horsefeeds 1400 at Pukekohe Park on Wednesday.

She was only fair away and drifted back to sit at the rear of the field for jockey Sam Spratt, where they remained throughout. Turning for home, the pair had all before them, but Spratt was able to navigate a path through the pack and Levakia quickly gained momentum, hitting the lead with 100m to go, extending with every stride to score by 1-1/2 lengths.

Levakia winning at Pukekohe Park on Wednesday.  Photo: Megan Liefting (Race Images)

The three-year-old daughter of Proisir was purchased by Ancroft Stud’s Philip and Catherine Brown out of Curraghmore’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Online Yearling Sale draft for $105,000 and carries their familiar colours which have been made famous in recent years by stable predecessors Levante and Legarto.

Levakia placed in all three of her previous starts and was duly backed into $1.80 favouritism on Wednesday, and while punters had their hearts in their mouths at the top of the straight, their faith was rewarded with a comfortable win.

Ken Kelso was rapt to get the result and wasn’t fazed by the deficit his filly had to make up down the straight.

“I knew she would finish off, she has always done that in her races,” he said. “It was good to get that win out of the way.

“I did the wrong thing at Te Rapa by putting a hood on her and she overraced, so I took it off today. She has got a lot to learn, she is still very green. She has got a lot of ability, but she has taken a while to put it all together.”

The Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), for which stablemate Alabama Lass is a $3 equal favourite with Captured By Love in the TAB Futures Market, remain a possibility, although Kelso said realistically it may come up too soon.

Advertisement

“She is still in the 1000 Guineas at Christchurch, but my feeling is that she probably has a bit too much to learn for that,” he said. “Hopefully there are stakes races in the future for her as a three-year-old filly. I think she has got a lot of growing to do too, she is a big filly.”

Spratt was also impressed with the performance of Levakia, and she is excited about her prospects for late summer and autumn racing.

“She has still got plenty more there, she is still learning what the game is all about,” Spratt said. “She is a pretty exciting filly once she gets up over further.

“After Christmas, in those March meetings, that is where she will be hitting her stride. She is lovely filly.”

Meanwhile, Kelso said Alabama Lass is on track to head to Riccarton next month for the 1000 Guineas via the Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday week.

“She has come through the race well, she had a nice trial at Matamata,” he said. “She is on track. She is eating well and doing everything right. We are looking forward to going to the Soliloquy at Auckland.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Corumbene Stud Homebred Tashi Wins G1 Tatts Tiara
From the last crop of foals sired by Widden Stud’s much missed Golden Slipper winning sire Sebring, five year-old mare Tashi may also be his final Group I winner as she produced a career best performance at Eagle Farm on Saturday to win the $700,000 Group I Tatts Tiara (1400m).
Another Aussie SW Sourced from Aga Khan Studs
When Australian investors buy tried horses out of Europe from Aga Khan Studs they know they are getting quality, but the good ones don’t come cheap with Elamaz (IRE) sourced from their draft at the Arqana Arc Sale last year for €480,000.
Better Than Ready’s Metalart Wins Group 3 W J Healy Stakes
Improving off a third in the Listed Lightning Handicap at Eagle Farm recently, 4yo Better Than Ready gelding Metalart stepped up to 1200m to record his first black type success, winning the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes.
Miss Joelene Achieves Millionaire Status
This time last year, Miss Joelene was highlighting herself as one to watch for the future, having placed in the Group 2 The Roses and the Group 1 Queensland Oaks, and after a few runs behind the outstanding Antino (Redwood) this time in, a class drop on Saturday saw her record victory in the $200,000 Listed BRC Tattersall’s Gold Crown (2100m) at Eagle Farm.
Aussie 2YO SW for Tivaci
New Zealand-bred colt Matahga stamped himself as an exciting spring three-year-old prospect with a hard-fought victory in the A$120,000 Listed David Peacock Oaklands Plate (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Almanzor Stayer wins G3 Tattersalls Cup
It's been a long time since the  2022 Victoria Derby and some may have wondered whether the winner Manzoice was ever going to win again!
Private Eye’s Half-Brother King’s Secret Wins Again
Although he may never reach the heights of his older half-brother Private Eye, a Group 1 winner and earner of more than $12m to date, connections of King’s Secret (Shalaa) are sure to have plenty of their own fun with the 3yo gelding winning at Rosehill on Saturday.
Tattersall’s Mile For The Inflictor - Under The Louvre’s Second SW
Third at Listed level before winning at Doomben, the Craig Cousins-trained The Inflictor (Under The Louvre) then tackled the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap, and while not in the same league as winner War Wachine (Harry Angel), the 4yo gelding showed his class on Saturday to win the Listed BRC Tattersall’s Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm.
Super Seth 3YO Salutes for Baker
A tenacious front-running performance in Saturday’s A$160,000 Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill added a first city victory to Puntin’s burgeoning record.
Proisir filly Wins 3YO Winter Championship
Matamata trainers Ken and Bev Kelso sent Levakia on a big road trip on Saturday in search of reasonable track conditions, and the plan paid off with victory in the $60,000 ITM/GIB 3YO Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Ruakaka.