Imperatriz will miss Saturday’s Telegraph at Trentham but Levante heads there as a hot favourite after her third in the Railway and Kelso is certain the race has brought her on.
“She is definitely more advanced after that run,” he told the Herald.
That opinion was franked by a track work gallop on Tuesday with another member of Team Te Akau in Cognito, with not only Kelso happy with what he saw but champion jockey Opie Bosson, who rode Cognito, impressed by the outstanding mare’s work alongside him.
Levante is the defending Telegraph champion and meets weaker opposition than she did in last year’s stellar edition of the Group 1 and Kelso says she has already proven the sweeping dogleg 1200m suits her.
“We know that from her win here last year in a very good field and also how she has raced down straight at Flemington that a big, flat track like that suits her. So I am certain she will be better this week than she was and this race suits her better.”
Kelso is hopeful of some moisture but not too much in the track.
“Some give in the track suits and it looks like the weather there is set to improve so we should get the sortof surface we want.”
The Telegraph is the highlight of the day, with Sharp ‘N’ Smart headlining the Wellington Guineas while the Wellesley Stakes brings together some of the talented juveniles who aren’t eligible for next week’s Karaka Million.
The Trentham Stakes is the final lead-up to the Wellington Cup on January 28, while Saturday’s Anniversary Handicap fills the same role for the Thorndon Mile two weeks later.
