Horse racing: Best New Zealand mares set for Australian invasion

Levante (left, white cap) defeats La Crique (centre) and Chase (right). Photo: Supplied / Race Images

An invasion of New Zealand’s best race mares is about to hit Australia as Levante left herself with nothing left to prove here following an easy win in the $300,000 group 1 at Otaki on Saturday.

The wonderful Matamata mare was too quick and strong late for her hometown rival La Crique in the El Cheapo Cars Classic, both mares relishing the give of the ground to dominate the 1600m feature.

They had the tactical upper hand a long way from home - La Crique leading and Levante in the one-one and the latter swept up to challenge at the top of the home straight, looking set to run away.

La Crique fought hard, like a mare looking for more ground, but Levante’s easier run and perfect ride from Ryan Elliot gave her all the favours. Her win suggested she may be even more potent at 1600m now than the sprint trips that have given her three other group 1s.

Co-trainer Ken Kelso says he and the mare’s connections will get her home and study up the Australian race programmes before making any definite decisions but Levante is almost certain to head to Sydney.

There was some talk after the race of the A$600,000 Coolmore Classic on March 11 but that probably comes around too quickly and is 1500m at Rosehill, neither ideal for this older version of Levante.

Her most logical target is the A$1million Queen Of The Turf at the much roomier Randwick on April 11, over a mile and with the longer break to allow Kelso and his wife Bev to accurately target the race.

“We have some thinking to do but Sydney looks like her next assignment as the only race really left here for her is the NZ Breeders Stakes,” says Kelso.

“But as always we will get her home before making any decisions.”

If Levante ends up in Sydney she will join her sprint nemesis of this summer in Imperatriz who, in a change of plan, now heads there next Saturday.

Imperatriz had been touted as heading to the Newmarket in Victoria on March 11 but after she galloped beautifully between races at Matamata yesterday she is heading to Sydney.

Those two outstanding mares add further class to the Kiwi assault in Sydney after fellow group 1 winner Mustang Valley was a luckless third at Randwick and La Crique’s connections will mull taking her there or waiting for Queensland in the winter.

Exciting staying filly Polygon is also heading to New South Wales and it is on the radar for Karaka Classic Mile winner Prowess if she races well in next Saturday’s NZ Derby at Te Rapa.

The girl power mane drain into Australia will extend further as Levante’s stablemate Legarto heads to Melbourne this week for the Australian Guineas next Saturday.

Kelso stayed home at the Matamata races instead of accompanying Levante to Otaki so he could oversee Legarto’s exhibition gallop and was thrilled with her work before she takes on the boys next Saturday.