Carbine Club Stakes next up for unlucky colt Levendi

Levendi
Trainers Peter and Manny Gelagotis stand alongside talented three-year-old colt Levendi, which lines up in this Saturday’s Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington. Photo: Racing.com

LUCK isn’t something that has been in favour of Levendi this spring, but that could all change this Saturday in the $200,000 Carbine Club Stakes.

The three-year-old colt was desperately unlucky in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas last start when it was trucking into the race, but interference around the home turn ended its chances.

“He was very unlucky,” stable representative Manny Gelagotis told Horsebetting.com.au. “It was a pretty rough race, a lot of scrimmage on the corner and a lot of knocking around.

“We thought if he got through nice and clean he’d be in the finish.”

The rough and tumble nature of the Guineas all but put an end to Levindi’s chances of running in the $1.5 million Victoria Derby on Saturday, instead the easier option of the Carbine Club Stakes will be taken.

“Following that run we thought the Derby wasn’t the right call. I thought he had Derby written all over him from a performance point of view and a pedigree point of view, but we can wait until the autumn,” Gelagotis said.

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“He’s spent time at the beach facility we have, so we’ve kept him fresh and we’ll stick to the mile and run in the Carbine.

“We’ll protect him this spring and maybe stretch him out next autumn when he’s stronger.”

The Caulfield Guineas wasn’t its only unlucky run this campaign as his run in the Guineas Prelude was also worth noting.

“He’s just been horribly unlucky,” Gelagotis said. “He was caught up in a farcical Prelude – sitting back and finishing strongly and what unfolded in the Guineas was pretty shattering.

“You couldn’t imagine what was going to unfold and it did. It’s not good for their experience and that’s the reason we made the call (not to run in the Derby) to allow him to get over it and keep him sound.”

The son of Pierro won its first two starts and looked like a talented type in the process. It defeated Sully and Anchor Bid on debut at Ballarat before beating subsequent winner Snitezpeg at Mornington to start this campaign.

“He’s a talent, he’s got a big future,” said Gelagotis, who could target the Emirates Stakes if Levendi runs well this Saturday. “It depends on how he performs. There’s a couple of softer options, maybe the Sandown Guineas or if he looks like he needs further, there’s the Emirates Stakes.

“It was always going to be a three or four-run campaign, but as we go forward we’re learning about him.”

Flemington will pose a new challenge for Levendi, but the bigger track looks ideal for the free-running type.

“I think it’s going to really create a good platform for him and allow him to settle,” Gelagotis said. “He can be nice and balanced and give him a fair opportunity to work through his gears.

“He’ll appreciate the open space.”

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