Saturday summary: Levante toughs out Telegraph

Cover image courtesy of Race Images - Peter Rubery

Levante rules in Trentham replay

The brilliant Levante (NZ) (Proisir) made it back-to-back G1 Telegraphs at Trentham on Saturday afternoon. Sent off an odds-on favourite, victory didn’t always look secure as she drew up to Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) in the home straight.

Just as in the 2022 edition, the 6-year-old mare was made to work hard for the victory, drawing on her reserves to edge out Babylon Berlin by 0.4l, with the pair drawing 4l clear of Ifndoubtgetout (NZ) (Keano {NZ}).

Trained by Ken and Bev Kelso, the victory was all the more poignant for the husband-and-wife team as Bev has been in ill health of late.

“It’s very special that Bev came as she hasn’t been that well, so to make the trip down here is very special,” Ken Kelso said.

“She is a very tough mare who doesn’t lay down and tries her hardest every time.

“She wants to give you a heart attack every year but she is just so tough.”

Bred by Scott Williams, who remains part of the ownership, Levante is out of Island Doy (GB) (Doyoun {Ire}), a dual-winner in Ireland and a half-sister to Group 3 winner Cryptavia (NZ) (Gold Brose).

Saturday’s was a third elite-level success for the mare, who also won the G1 BCD Sprint at Te Rapa last year, and Kelso indicated that she will likely return to Te Rapa on February 11 as she attempts to go back-to-back in that race too.

She became her sire’s first Group 1 winner when she took this race last year, and with her latest victory the Rich Hill Stud resident extended his lead at the head of the New Zealand Sires' Premiership, now sitting on NZ$2,099,715, NZ$825,410 ahead of reigning Champion Sire Savabeel.

Proisir has 23 yearlings catalogued at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1), which gets underway on January 29.

Double for Russian Revolution

Newgate Farm resident Russian Revolution sired an impressive across-the-card juvenile double on Saturday as Red Resistance broke his maiden at Rosehill, while Rush Hour produced an impressive performance at the Gold Coast. He then made that an international treble when he gained his first winner in Singapore courtesy of the Michael Clements-trained Petrograd.

Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Red Resistance dug deep in the closing stages to beat Steel City (Merchant Navy) by 0.8l. General Salute, who is also by Russian Revolution, finished another 4l further afield in third.

After the race, winning jockey Brett Prebble said he was impressed with the manner of the victory and was confident he could prove to be a prospect for the future.

“He's a really lovely horse, he's an imposing horse… he probably looked the favourite in the yard but wasn't. Coming from the Waterhouse Bott stable they're going to be very well educated,” Prebble said.

“He floated basically from the 300… he's got real good potential, when he stretches and gets to 1400, a mile, you're going to see a really smart horse.”

Bred by Sir Owen Glenn’s Go Bloodstock, Red Resistance is the second foal out of G2 Rubiton S. winner Heatherly (Lonhro), who was bought by Go Bloodstock and Paul Moroney Bloodstock for $1.6 million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2018.

The year after foaling Red Resistance, the daughter of Lonhro produced a colt by I Am Invincible, while her colt by Russian Revolution’s barnmate Capitalist died in 2022 and she was covered by Snitzel last October.

Later on in the afternoon, the Nathan Doyle-trained Rush Hour added to the stallion's juvenile haul when he broke his maiden at the Gold Coast, getting on the board before the meeting was postponed due to the wet weather.

The colt scooted through the rain sodden ground to beat Getty (Capitalist) by 0.5l. Storm The Ramparts (Headwater) finished another 0.2l further afield in third.

Doyle was delighted with the result and said he was especially pleased for the syndicate group, Calibre.

“It's a terrific result for the Calibre guys. It is the first yearling that they've bought as a syndication group and they've ended up back here in twelve months' time winning a half-million-dollar race, so it is very good for them and it is good for Koby (Jennings, jockey) coming here for one ride,” said Doyle.

Rush Hour was purchased by his trainer and Calibre Racing Group for $130,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Newgate Farm and he is out of the Stakes placed Gio Ponti (USA) mare Pearl Congenial.

The colt hails from the same family as G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Super Seth - a son of Dundeel (NZ) - and G2 Theo Marks S. winner Wild Planet (Animal Kingdom {USA}).

The first three home will all have siblings on offer at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale next month, with the winner’s half-brother by Brutal (NZ) offered by Newgate Farm as Lot 667, while the second-placed Getty will have his Pride Of Dubai half-sister (Lot 31) on offer at the Sydney sale and Valiant Stud will consign Storm The Ramparts’ Cosmic Force half-brother as Lot 5.

Russian Revolution had 15 lots sell on the Gold Coast earlier this week and they brought total receipts of $3,255,000 and average of $217,000. The stallion has 19 yearlings catalogued at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, which gets underway at Riverside Stables on February 12.

Veecee advertises Diamond credentials

Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have been spending big all week at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and on Saturday they unearthed a classy graduate they purchased from last year’s auction in the shape of Veecee (Capitalist), who galloped into G1 Blue Diamond S. contention when he broke his maiden with an impressive win at Flemington, handing the trainers their first juvenile winner of the season.

Owned by Ozzie Kheir and his usual partners, the 2-year-old made light work of his rivals when scooting 2.5l of Hellish (Hellbent), while Rhodesian Red (Lonhro) came home another 1l away in third.

Bred by Glenelg Park, the colt is out of the unraced Poet’s Voice (GB) mare Isabella, who was bought by Glenelg for $46,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in 2017. Veecee himself was acquired by Maher and Eustace when they secured him from the Tyreel Stud draft for $750,000 at the 2022 edition of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

In winning the race, Veecee becomes the fifth juvenile winner of the season for Capitalist and they are headed by stakes winner Sovereign Fund.

Capitalist had 27 yearlings sell for an aggregate of $7,710,000 and an average of $285,556 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling this week. The stallion has 39 yearlings catalogued at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in February.

Codigo becomes Ardrossan’s first stakes winner

The Stephen Marsh-trained Codigo (NZ) became the first winner for Waikato Stud-based sire Ardrossan when he made a winning debut at Matamata on January 3 and fittingly, the gelding also provided the stallion with his first stakes success with a win in the Listed Wellesley S. at Trentham on Saturday.

The colt was bred by Dame Lowell Goddard, who now races the juvenile with Waikato Stud, and he battled hard to eventually beat She Turns Heads (Headwater) by 0.2l. Time Is King (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) was a further 2.8l further afield in third.

Marsh said the gelding will now be aimed at the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce S.

“It is a bit special for this horse, being by Ardrossan, who we trained and to get three on a day is special for sure,” Marsh said. “He is a lovely horse, who was unbeaten at the trials and then won his first start.

“We probably ran him today a little bit sooner than we would have liked to, but this was a perfect race for him. Michael gave him the right run, although I think he might need a week in the paddock now as he might just be feeling his shins.

“He has ticked off the black-type win and ultimately, we will aim him for the Manawatu Sires’ Produce S.”

Codigo is the first foal out of winning mare Sophia Magia (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) and she hails from the same family as stakes winner Dear Pal (NZ) (My Pal {Ire}) - her third dam's half-sister.

Ardrossan, a son of Redoute’s Choice, has seven lots set to go under the hammer at Book 1 of the upcoming New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.

Cognito snares first stakes race

Having failed at stakes level on two previous occasions, Cognito (So You Think {NZ}) announced himself as an exciting 3-year-old prospect when he landed the G2 Wellington Guineas, a victory that was aided by an extraordinary ride from Opie Bosson.

Trained by Mark Walker, the gelding was steered through gaps by Bosson, weaving through his rivals, eventually letting down impressively to post a 0.3l over Duncan Creek (NZ) (Super Easy {NZ}). Missy Moola (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) was a further 0.7l away in third.

Cognito became the second Wellington Guineas winner in the last three years for Te Akau Racing, who also won the race in 2021 with Need I Say More (No Nay Never {USA}).

Walker has nominated him for two Group 1 features in March – the G1 New Zealand Derby at Te Rapa on March 4, along with the G1 Levin Classic back at Trentham two weeks later.

“Opie’s shown us many times that he can work miracles, and that was another great ride,” Walker said. “Full credit to the horse as well.

“We had a little bit of a hiccup that prevented us from running at Taupo first-up, but the owners were very patient and were happy to wait for today. It might have ended up being a blessing in disguise that we brought him here fresh.

“He’s really furnished since the spring, and a big advantage of taking 3-year-olds down to Christchurch at that time of the year is that they really grow up mentally with that trip.”

The gelding was bought by Te Akau’s David Ellis and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) for $165,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2021 from the Baramul Stud draft.

Cognito is out of unraced More Than Ready (USA) Lady Primrose and she has produced a further two winners; Hard Lady (All Too Hard) and Presser (Press Statement). In 2021, Lady Primrose produced a colt by Vinery Stud-based first-season sire Exceedance and she has most recently been covered by Tarzino (NZ).

The victory handed the Coolmore Stud-based sire So You Think (NZ) his 47th stakes winner. The stallion had 17 yearlings sell for an aggregate of $4,815,000 at an average of $283,235 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale this week.

Cognito was one of two stakes winners for the Te Akau and Walker team at Trentham on Saturday as last year’s G1 New Zealand Oaks winner Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) made the first return to the winner's circle since that Group 1 victory when she took out the G3 Anniversary H., beating her stablemate Belle Of The Ball (NZ) (Savabeel) by 1.5l into second.

Walker was pleased to see his charge back in the winner’s circle after a disappointing spring campaign where she was plagued by wet tracks.

“It’s good to see her back as her spring form was due to all the wet tracks she struck,” Walker said. “Back on good ground she has shown what she is made of. She has always been a special filly as she was bred on the farm.”