Hesi Posted November 23, 2022 Share Posted November 23, 2022 With the race day at Otaki tomorrow, Bayer Classic day. For me anyway, without doubt, was the second most iconic day behind Derby day at Ellerslie. And that is quite an achievement for a race that was first introduced in 1981. The list of winners, mirrors the decline of racing in NZ. The race, by then called the Levin Classic shunted in 2013, to Trentham in mid Jan, because they had made the 2000 Guineas worth 2 mil. Then shunted again in 2022 to mid March, because it didn't fit with the Karaka Million, and of course we know these days what gets priority. So we now have the Levin Classic in mid March, after the Derby, worth a cool $350K, but it won't attract the top horses like it used to, because they all have their eyes on the Sydney Autumn carnival 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloke Posted November 24, 2022 Share Posted November 24, 2022 I recall it well Hesi. Started out at the Levin Racing Club Offices with Cocktails on the Tuesday evening and then onto the Cozzie Club for the Calcutta which went into the early hours. All the owners and trainers were there, and the Calcutta pool reached around $30k. Up next morning for the brunch on course before the races. Then a great day's racing followed by a few beers and a card session which would go until the next morning. Then home to recover. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ngakonui grass Posted November 24, 2022 Share Posted November 24, 2022 It was a day where many were glued to the TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted November 24, 2022 Author Share Posted November 24, 2022 46 minutes ago, Bloke said: I recall it well Hesi. Started out at the Levin Racing Club Offices with Cocktails on the Tuesday evening and then onto the Cozzie Club for the Calcutta which went into the early hours. All the owners and trainers were there, and the Calcutta pool reached around $30k. Up next morning for the brunch on course before the races. Then a great day's racing followed by a few beers and a card session which would go until the next morning. Then home to recover. Sounds awesome. We used to get up at 4 am after a hard night and drive down from Auckland. Well worth it for the racing and the event when you could see horses like Veandercross. We also always had an invite to the Bayer marquee, so cheap drinks haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted November 24, 2022 Author Share Posted November 24, 2022 They have certainly increased the stake by a big margin(260 to 350K). That is up there with some of the lesser Aus group races, but will it be enough to keep horses like Legarto in the country, after she runs in the Karaka Million. Nominated also for the Derby, so if she stays for that, she is certainly not going to run in the Levin Classic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximus Posted November 24, 2022 Share Posted November 24, 2022 forgive Max for the skepticism but exactly what has Legarto beaten so far? Anything decent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesi Posted November 24, 2022 Author Share Posted November 24, 2022 Fair point, but it is the way it is winning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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