Levakia shines at Ruakākā to win Winter Championship Final

Levakia winning the ITM/GIB 3YO Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Ruakākā yesterday. Photo / Therese Davis

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 Ruakākā.

Seventh over 1400m and 1500m in two appearances at Te Rapa in April and May, the Proisir filly stepped up to 1600m yesterday and was strongly backed into $2.90 second-favouritism behind Acapelago.

Jockey Jasmine Fawcett took up a midfield position in fifth along the rail, then angled Levakia to the outside coming up to the home turn. She warmed into her work stylishly down the straight, finishing over the top of Casemiro to win by half a length.

“She did a good job today,” Ken Kelso said. “It’s a big trip to Ruakākā, but it’s not a bad stake for this time of the year and we thought she’d appreciate the better track conditions up there. We also have a feeling she might be a little bit better right-handed. So it worked out well today.

“We’ll get her home now, have a look at her and make a plan. We won’t be in any rush with her. She doesn’t like the really heavy winter tracks, and going all the way to Ruakākā and back is a big day – we wouldn’t want to ask that of her too many times in a preparation.

“She’s continuing to improve with a bit of time. In the long run I think she might get up over a bit more ground. She’s out of a Rip Van Winkle mare and can take a while to really wind up, so a bit more distance might be her go eventually.”

Saturday’s race was Fawcett’s first raceday ride on Levakia.

“We ended up in quite a handy position, and then I got her out before the turn and I knew she was going to have a good turn of foot in the straight,” she said. “They sent her up here today for a better track, which she seemed to appreciate.”

Levakia has now had nine starts for two wins, three placings and $63,815 in stakes.

The promising filly races in the colours of Ancroft Stud’s Philip and Catherine Brown, who with co-owners Tony and Mary Enting have had an incredible run with daughters of Proisir in the Kelso stable – headed by the multiple Group 1 winners Legarto and Levante.

Levakia was offered by breeders Curraghmore in the 2023 NZB National Online Yearling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus, where Ancroft Stud bought her for $105,000.

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk