Leovanni poised for Group 1 with connections 'delighted'

Royal Ascot heroine Leovanni will bid to regain the winning thread in Newmarket’s Cheveley Park Stakes next month after tasting defeat for the first time at York.

An impressive winner on debut at Nottingham, Karl Burke’s youngster marched on to the Royal meeting where she dazzled in the Queen Mary Stakes, showing plenty of speed to win in commanding fashion.

Upped to six furlongs for the Lowther Stakes at York, she was still in the discussion approaching the finishing line but was unable to pass Ed Walker’s Celandine as she finished an honourable third.

Cheveley Park Stakes in sight for talented filly

However, connections are taking plenty of positives from Leovanni’s Knavesmire appearance, with the daughter of Kodi Bear now poised to move into Group One company on the Rowley Mile on September 28.

“She’s bounced out of the race well and we’re delighted,” said Richard Brown, European racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing.

“She definitely got home over the six furlongs and I thought she ran very well under a penalty.

“She relaxed nicely which was good to see and she will come to Newmarket for the Cheveley Park all being well.”

It was mixed fortunes for the Wathnan string during the Ebor weekend as the peacock blue and old gold silks failed to appear in the winner’s enclosure despite some fine efforts from the squad in defeat.

The likes of Gregory and exciting juveniles Artagnan and Realign joined Leovanni in making the podium in Yorkshire, but there was the odd disappointment along the way — especially Hamad Al-Jehani’s high-profile recruit The Strikin Viking who failed to figure in the Gimcrack Stakes last Friday.

“Most of them ran really well and we’ve had plenty of luck this year so we were probably due a week where things didn’t quite go our way,” continued Brown.

Luckless week at York

“The Strikin Viking was very disappointing and too free — he was out on a wing and we need to get cover with him.

“We will give him a break now and probably bring him back for one target at the back-end. He’s a big horse so I think he has scope for next year.”

Also on the Wathnan York team was William Haggas’ King Edward VII Stakes runner-up Space Legend who was not disgraced in the Great Voltigeur and could now be put away for a four-year-old campaign.

Brown added: “He’s a big horse and he’s only going to get better over the winter and we’ll see what we think.

“I wouldn’t completely dismiss the option of putting him away for next year as I really think he is a horse for next year.

“He has plenty of speed and I don’t think being out of a Dark Angel mare he will get an extreme trip, so we will see. We’ve made no firm decisions with him yet.”