Promising sprinter Levitate added the finishing touches to another successful season for Vinery Stud graduates in Perth on Saturday.
The lightly-raced 3yo put some smart gallopers to the sword when clearing out to a four-length victory in the Crown Casino Hcp (1200m) at Belmont. Vinery (as agent) sold him as a foal for $40,000 at the 2017 Inglis Sydney Weanling Sale.
Levitate spotlighted Vinery’s consignment of 7 foals to the Magic Millions Weanling Sale on the Gold Coast later this month. Due to border restrictions into Queensland, the National Sale has been put back a week and the foal section will now be conducted on July 30 and 31.
The Vinery entrants are by More Than Ready (2), All Too Hard (2), Headwater, Star Witness and Hellbent.
Levitate is trained by Simon Miller for a syndicate that includes his partner Ellie Crispe along with Jarrod & Greg Loughridge. “He’s still another prep away and is learning all the time,” stable rep Kelly Kinninmont said. “We scratched him last week and Chloe (Azzopardi) has been working with him at home to improve his manners.”
Champion jockey Paul Harvey was suitably impressed after the explosive victory. “This looked a nice race for him on paper. He was drawn wide but good horses make their own luck.”
Vinery sold Levitate on behalf of Keith and Jan Meadows who bred him by using former Vinery sire Husson (Arg) over their Flying Spur mare Defying Gravity. Her yearling colt by Testa Rossa was purchased by Team Hawkes for $150,000 at this year’s Melbourne Premier Sale.
Trading under Meadows Bloodstock & Racing, the Jamberoo Valley-based couple also sold a Testa Rossa – Cuban Girl filly for $60,000 at this year’s Adelaide Magic Millions. Cuban Girl (Hemingway) foaled a filly by Headwater last October.