Racing: Levante set for big night at Karaka Million

Levante. Photo / Race Images

New Zealand's most exciting emerging race mare Levante will bypass the Telegraph at Trentham to add more glamour to Karaka Million night at Ellerslie. That sets up a potential clash with the country's most improved race mare in Showoroses.

The 4-year-olds provided some of the fireworks at Ellerslie's huge New Year's Day meeting, with Showoroses leading all the way in the $100,000 Rich Hill Mile, while Levante roared home from last for a stunning third in the Railway.

Co-trainer Ken Kelso confirmed Levante won't be heading south for the Telegraph.

"I don't like the fact there are now only two weeks between the Railway and the Telegraph," says Kelso.

"As weight-for-age, she gets no weight relief from Avantage, and I think she is ready to step up to 1400m.

"So we will definitely bypass the Telegraph and go to the Westbury Classic on Karaka Million night."

If safely through that $100,000 Group 2 1400m on January 23, Levante is likely to be aimed at the BCD Sprint at Te Rapa on February 13. She is likely to meet Railway winner Avantage in the latter but Avantage will first head to defend her Telegraph title and is remarkably $1.70 in the futures market, in what would be one of the shortest quotes for a Group 1 sprint in New Zealand nearly two weeks before the race.

Sam Collett will retain the Levante ride for the Westbury Classic, with Kelso saying there was nothing more she could do on Friday.

"Anybody who didn't like Sam's ride can't read a race."

Showoroses could be forgiven for feeling unloved compared with Levante as she has won two Group 2 1600m races back to back but is still awaiting her glamour tag. That won't bother trainer Joanne Surgenor, who is loving the ride with Showoroses and now has a decision to make.

"We are looking at the 1400m at Te Rapa [BCD Sprint], and if she is going there, she will probably need to start in the Westbury because she will need a race, she just gets so above herself."

Showoroses is fulfilling the potential she showed last season, running placings behind the likes of Catalyst, Jennifer Eccles and Two Illicit.

While two of the big names of the Westbury Classic were starring at Ellerslie on Friday, defending champion Kiwi Ida will have a vastly different final prep run at Omoto in Greymouth today. A last-start third behind Tavi Mac and Callsign Mac in the Manawatu Challenge Stakes, Kiwi Ida will cross the alps for the 1500m Miss Scenicland Stakes, for which she opened the $2 favourite.

"Originally we were going to take her and also Camino Rocoso for the Greymouth Cup but he won't go if the track gets too wet," says co-trainer Karen Parsons. "But the mare will definitely go and then it will be back to Ellerslie for the Westbury again."

The first clash of the high-class mares with such opposite racing styles, Showoroses being a leader and both Levante and Kiwi Ida swoopers, will add another layer to New Zealand racing's biggest meeting, which already has two of our three $1 million races and some of our best sprinters staying north for the Concorde that day, too.

The latter includes Railway runner-up Julius, another who won't be heading to the Telegraph.