Image courtesy of Kenton Wright Race Images
Connections of four-time Group 1 winner Legarto (NZ) (Proisir), winner of last Saturday’s G1 Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa, have announced that the mare will be offered at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale at the conclusion of her racing career this Autumn.
Also the winner of the G1 Australian Guineas at Flemington as a 3-year-old, beating the likes of Attrition (Churchill {Ire}) and Jacquinot, as well as her two wins in the G1 Herbie Dykes Stakes and success in the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas. The now 6-year-old will head to the G1 Bonecrusher Stakes at Ellerslie next with the G1 Australia Cup pencilled in as a potential swan song before being sold.
A hidden gem in Book 2
Philip and Catherine Brown, who purchased Legarto under their Ancroft Stud banner, had already tasted several levels of success with fellow four-time Group 1 winner Levante (NZ) (Proisir), and it was riding the high of that success that Philip Brown found himself drawn to a bay filly in the Book 2 of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
“I said to Ken (Kelso), who trained Levante, ‘I’m going to go down and buy another Proisir filly,” Brown recalled. “We were at the sale and (now dual Group 1 winner) Prowess was there, but everyone was interested in her and I thought she would make too much money.
“But this other filly was in Book 2 - I thought she deserved to probably be in Book 1, but it was to our advantage that she was, as we ended up buying her for only NZ$90,000, which was not a lot of money because she was a lovely looking yearling.”
Legarto (NZ) winning the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas | Image courtesy of Race Images
Brown signed for the filly, who was offered by Highline Thoroughbreds, under his Ancroft Stud banner and sent her to Ken and Bev Kelso, who took shares in her ownership. They had already managed to work their magic on Levante - could they do the same with this one too?
In fact, Brown had a feeling very quickly that they just might.
“She (Legarto) went past the post and it was this sort of surreal moment where we (Brown and Kelso) both looked at one another and said nothing.” - Philip Brown
“When she had her first gallop on the grass, Ken and I were there to watch it,” said Brown. “She went past the post and it was this sort of surreal moment where we both looked at one another and said nothing, because we were both thinking the same thing; ‘we've got another really good filly here’. And that's exactly what she turned out to be.”
Where no Kiwi had tread before
A winner at her first start as a juvenile on a Heavy track in Matamata in June, Legarto then went on to be unbeaten in her first five starts, including capturing the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas and the G2 Eight Carat Classic, before running fourth in the R. Listed Karaka Million 3YO Classic.
It was then that connections set their sights across the Tasman at the G1 Australian Guineas - won the year before by Hitotsu as part of his triple Group 1 sweep - which was a challenge that Brown thought his filly uniquely capable of.
Hitotsu | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
“No New Zealand trainer had ever won it before,” he said. “We felt she was real chance. She won her first five in a row, including the Thousand Guineas, and there wasn't a lot left for her here in New Zealand to be fair.
“We thought Flemington would be the track that would really suit her (Legarto's) style of racing.” - Philip Brown
“So Ken suggested we have a crack at the Guineas. We thought Flemington would be the track that would really suit her style of racing as well, because she does like to get back a bit in her races and then really power home. And so we thought, ‘why not?’”
Despite the careful track selection, it almost go to plan.
"As it happened, she was in tight quarters for a long way down that Flemington straight,” Brown recalled. “I was glad it's as long as it is because it took her a while to get out, and then she got up in the last two or three strides. It was a very memorable win.”
“I was glad it's (the Flemington straight) as long as it is because it took her (Legarto) a while to get out, and then she got up in the last two or three strides.” - Philip Brown
Legarto’s dash across the Tasman to Flemington was triumphant, and it secured her title as the Champion 3YO filly in New Zealand for the 2022/23 season.
The following spring, she added the Listed Matamata Cup before claiming a third Group 1 in the 2024 Herbie Dyke Stakes and subsequently ran down all but El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) down to finish second in the Bonecrusher, despite clipping heels and blundering early in the race.
El Vencedor (NZ) | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
She made her second trip across the Tasman to run a gallant sixth in the G1 Australian Cup, with her seasonal efforts aiding her in being named New Zealand’s Champion Middle Distance Horse in 2023/24.
The come back trail
Legarto then wasn’t seen for nearly a year, injuring a tendon as her spring campaign prepared to lift off in 2024.
“She had five months out,” Brown said. “It’s a long time to be out, especially when she’s a big, gross mare and she’s a great eater. She's nearly 17 hands, and we have just got to be careful with her weight, because if she sees food, she puts weight on.”
"We have just got to be careful with her (Legarto) weight, because if she sees food, she puts weight on." - Philip Brown
Rising against the odds of being a then 5-year-old and spending months on the sideline, Legarto returned in early 2025 with a half-length victory in the Listed Champagne Stakes at Matamata, and has been a strong contender in no less than five Group 1 contests between that win and her second Herbie Dyke victory last weekend.
Legarto (NZ) winning the G1 Herbie Dyke Stakes | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
It was a victory not only momentous for equalling Levante’s four career Group 1 wins, but also for giving Opie Bosson his 100th top flight victory and a 15th Group 1 win for the Kelsos. In addition, it gave Brown the confidence to roll the dice (at least) one more time in the Bonecrusher.
"But when I saw her (Legarto) coming around that straight, coming around the home turn, I said to Catherine, my wife, ‘she's running a race this time’.” - Philip Brown
“It was a very emotional win, because we discussed it with Ken and we thought, well, she loves Te Rapa left-handed and if she didn't run well, then she should be retired,” Brown said. “But when I saw her coming around that straight, coming around the home turn, I said to Catherine, my wife, ‘she's running a race this time’. And so it proved to be, so it was very emotional for us, but also satisfying to see that in her.”
Bev and Ken Kelso | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Brown struggled to pinpoint just one highlight from Legarto’s career, but did said that the Australian Guineas was a particular high water mark due to the mare’s tenacity on the day.
“That was a spectacular performance she put up that day,” he said. “She didn't deserve to win. I thought she was going to run forward, then she was boxed in nearly all the way down the straight, so to get out and win was very special. There were some pretty handy horses in that race.
“That was a spectacular performance she (Legarto) put up that day (in the Australian Guineas). She didn't deserve to win.” - Philip Brown
“The Thousand Guineas was another memorable win, but she won four Group 1s, they are all memorable in their own way.”
Magic Millions the right venue to offer Legarto
Naturally Magic Millions Managing Director Barry Bowditch is pleased to have a mare of Legarto’s quality heading to the Gold Coast for sale later this year, where she will be consigned by Brian Nutt’s Attunga Stud.
The Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale will run from May 26 to 27, bookended by the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale on May 24 and the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale on June 1 and 2.
Barry Bowditch | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We are thrilled and extremely honoured to be entrusted to bring Legarto to market on behalf of her connections at the 2026 National Broodmare Sale,” Bowditch said.
“Legarto ranks as one of the finest racemares to have graced the turf in New Zealand in recent seasons, and to win the Australian Guineas places her alongside superstar mares Miss Finland, Mosheen, and Mystic Journey, as the only fillies to have beaten the males this century in the time-honoured Group 1. She's been a star each season and her win on Saturday was sensational.”
“She's (Legarto) been a star each season and her win on Saturday was sensational.” - Barry Bowditch
Brown currently has Levante in Australia at Arrowfield Stud, where she is in foal to The Autumn Sun, and said he would be keeping his hand in his pocket when it came to bidding on Legarto.
“She’s going to make a fair bit of money,” he said. “So I might just take some money off the table this time and go see what happens.”
Levante (NZ) | Image courtesy Race Images
“From being an unbeaten juvenile to a Champion of New Zealand at three and the Champion Middle Distance Performer the following season, Legarto has danced every dance and she's also a last start Group 1 winner,” Bowditch added.
"We look forward to enjoying the final conclusion to her racing career before she heads to the Gold Coast where she will be a most sought after breeding prospect for any farm - no matter where they are located around the world."
“I feel like anyone who sees her (Legarto) in the flesh will see that she really has that wow factor.” - Philip Brown
“These types of mares aren’t easy to buy, which is why we are taking her to Australia,” Brown said. “I feel like anyone who sees her in the flesh will see that she really has that wow factor. That’s why it is better to have them on site where people can see them and know what they are bidding on.”
The breeding world is her oyster
One of six Group 1 winners amongst Proisir’s 24 stakes winners, Legarto has amassed 11 wins in her 23-start career and has only finished further back that fourth on four occasions. She is one of three winners from her two-time winning dam Geordie Girl (NZ) (Towkay {NZ}) who showed her class when running fourth in the Listed Wairarapa Breeders’ Stakes.
Geordie Girl has also left the 11-time winner and Listed placed runner Emanon (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) who was due to foal to Proisir last spring, and the 10-time winning stayer Locally Sauced (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), meaning her three offspring to race have amassed 32 wins and around NZ$3.1 million in earnings between them.
Emanon (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images South
Brown thinks that both her record on the track and her size stand Legarto in good stead to be matched to any number of Australia’s leading stallions.
“The big farms have so many lovely stallions,” Brown said. “She’s a very physical mare who is lovely to look at, and I am sure she will have a lot of admirers over there. She won’t be a hard mare to mate. She has the physique, she has great bone, and she is just a quality, quality mare. She should throw exquisite, good-sized foals.”
“She’s (Legarto) a very physical mare who is lovely to look at, and I am sure she will have a lot of admirers over there.” - Philip Brown
Rich Hill Stud's Proisir is only early in his broodmare sire career, but his sire Choisir has had a wonderful track record with the likes of Sebring and I Am Invincible, as well as his daughters producing millionaires with Deep Field and Street Boss (USA).
Proisir | Standing at Rich Hill Stud
For Brown, he has been breeding his own Proisirs to follow in the footsteps of Legarto and Levante.
“I am a huge fan of the horse, I think he is a fantastic sire,” he said. “I have kept a couple of Proisir fillies that I have bred and I'm looking forward to racing the 2-year-olds that I've got in work now.”
