Levendi gets opportunity in G1 Guineas

Manny Gelagotis believes Levendi can spring a Caulfield Guineas surprise from a good draw.

Concerns Levendi would not make the Caulfield Guineas field have been put to bed and now from a good barrier draw connections believe the colt gets a great opportunity in the $2 million Classic.

Manny Gelagotis, racing manager for his trainer/brother Peter Gelagotis, said they were disappointed with how the Caulfield Guineas Prelude panned out because they felt lightly raced Levendi’s chance to make the Guineas may have been dashed.

Levendi settled last from the widest barrier in the on-pace dominated race last Sunday week but closed strongly to finish sixth, running only fractionally slower closing sectional times than Guineas favourite Royal Symphony who finished fourth.

Both broke 34 seconds for the final 600m.

Ben Melham took the Guineas ride on Prelude winner Perast when there was doubt over Levendi making the field because he was down the order of entry.

But when 17 acceptances were taken on Tuesday for Saturday’s Group One race for three-year-olds, Levendi was safely in the top 16 and came up with a good barrier draw, seven, with Anthony Darmanin picking up the ride.

He will jump from barrier six if the emergency doesn’t gain a start.

“His sectionals the other day were exciting and I think now with the barrier draws and the way the race looks, I think he’s going to get a terrific run,” Manny Gelagotis said.

“It will give him his fair opportunity to compete which I don’t think really happened in the Prelude. It was a pretty farcically run race.

“The risk factor was not having enough prize money to get into the field but now that he’s in, hopefully he can make up for the lost ground.

“The ducks have aligned now for the big race.”

Levendi won his first two starts at Ballarat and Mornington either side of a spell before running in the Prelude.

Gelagotis said Levendi worked strongly on Tuesday and he expected from the better draw the colt would take up a much better position than in the Prelude and be in a position to strike.

“I think he’s the fresh horse on the scene and for me he’s a really good talent,” he said.

“The further he goes the better he’ll keep being and I think he’ll run the 1600 metres out really strongly.

“He’s the sort of horse who can take up a position and show a turn of foot. So it’s really exciting.”

Levendi is an $18 chance with Royal Symphony continuing to hold sway at $4.20 ahead of Catchy ($5) and Kementari ($5.50).