Racing: Legarto makes winning debut in Matamata

Two-year-old filly Legarto. Photo / Supplied

Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso could have another star daughter of Proisir on their hands.

Two-year-old filly Legarto carries the same colours as her Group One-winning stablemate Levante, and didn't let them down, winning on debut over 1100m by three and a quarter lengths at Matamata on Wednesday.

"I thought it was a really good run," Ken Kelso said. "I was quite happy to run third halfway down to get some rating points, but she won by three and a quarter lengths. In that last 50m she got away from them.

"I thought it was quite impressive."

Already taken by the progeny of Proisir, Kelso went to New Zealand Bloodstock's National Yearling Sale last year looking for a filly and was taken by Legarto in Highline Thoroughbreds' Book 2 draft.

"We were looking for another nice Proisir filly at the sales and Phillip (Brown) and myself spied this one. She is a gorgeous filly," Kelso said.

"She is a lovely filly and we paid $90,000 out of Book 2. She has Levante's owners plus a few other families, and Bev and I have a share in her as well."

While winning convincingly on a Heavy10 track on Wednesday, Kelso believes his filly is more suited to firmer ground.

"I don't think she is a mudder," he said. "I am always worried about horses in this sort of ground at this time of year – are they just a mudder? But she has got a big, beautiful action on her.

The spelling paddock now beckons the promising filly, with plenty of targets on offer in the spring.

"It wasn't our intention to be running her in this sort of ground anyway," Kelso said. "But through trial cancellations and not getting in the field at Avondale, she has been in work for quite some time.

Kelso is now looking forward to the return of his stable star Levante, who is likely to head across the Tasman in the spring following her pleasing fourth placing in the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m).

The mare is likely to be aimed at features in Melbourne in the spring, with options over both sprint and mile trips.

"She is still spelling at the moment. I went and had a look at her yesterday and she looks amazing," Kelso said.

"We haven't set a plan for her yet, but she definitely won't be going to Hastings.

"To get to Hastings you really have to go to the Foxbridge (Gr.2, 1200m) which comes up too early, and she is still out."

Meanwhile, Cambridge raider Badgers Nuts has added to New Zealand's winter winning tally in Queensland yesterday by scoring over in a 1350m maiden at Doomben yesterday.
The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained son of Rageese went into the race in good form, having finished runner-up over 1100m on the Sunshine Coast polytrack last month and stable connections said he had improved from the run.

—NZ Racing Desk.