Levante has drawn first blood as the speed machines of New Zealand racing take aim for what could be the race of the season.
The Matamata mare returned to racing with an emphatic victory in the Counties Bowl at Te Rapa yesterday, defending the title she won under vastly different circumstances at Pukekohe last year.
Both performances were brilliant, but this time, Levante was able to stay handier than usual, just beyond midfield, then defy the pattern for the early part of the day to win going away over the 1100m.
Co-trainer Ken Kelso has the $240,000 Railway at Ellerslie on January 1 as the next main target for Levante and that could mean a glamour girls clash with Entriviere, Babylon Berlin and Sakura Blossom, who resumes next Saturday, as well as yesterday's runner-up Roch 'N' Horse and Vamos Bebe.
Yesterday's win saw Levante shorten to $3.50 second favourite for the sprint, with Entriviere, who has returned to work, the $3 favourite.