Tumut mare Levee Bank put paid to her rivals in the SDRA Country Championship Preview (1300m) at Murrumbidgee Turf Club on Monday, and trainer Kerry Weir hopes she’s set to peak at Albury on Sunday week.
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The four-year old mare blitzed the field in the class four handicap at Wagga to all-but seal a spot in the region’s $150,000 Country Championship Qualifier.
While not technically a qualifying event for Albury, the three-length win should assure Levee Bank a start. And the manner of victory suggested it might yet prove a preview to the outcome.
Under in-form jockey Megan Taylor – fresh off winning a staggering five races at Carrathool on Saturday – Levee Bank went to the front and never looked back.
After starting at double figure odds ($10), she finished like a freight train.
“We were a little bit worried about the 1300, whether she’d get it – she’s a speedy little thing but the further they went, the further she went away from them,” Weir said with a grin.
Trevor Sutherland’s Hangin’ With Willy ($16) stuck on for second ahead of the strongly finishing Canberra galloper Supreme Lad ($12) and Dave Heywood’s $3.50 favourite Dyrham Park.
Levee Bank is in her first preparation with Weir and – with Taylor –they’ve combined for a third, two seconds and, now, three wins.
Crossing to lead from barrier 12 was a masterstroke.
“We got to the front and she can be a bit keen after that and I was like, ‘C’mon girl, give yourself a break, you’re going to die’,” Taylor said.
“We got to the straight and I gave her one little tap and she went from second (gear) to sixth just like that… I felt pretty confident nothing was going to catch us with that feel she gave me.”
Taylor is at a peak herself, riding five of Trevor Sutherland’s six winners just three days prior.
“I was wondering after Carrathool should I just retire, whether that was all my luck just spent up that day, because going there I wasn’t expecting it,” Taylor said.
The apprentice admitted she and Levee Bank have a complicated relationship but said they’re coming to an understanding.
“I like winning on her – it makes it worth riding trackwork, I’ll say that,” she said.
With the first two home in Albury’s qualifier to earn a trip to Randwick for the Country Championships Final on April 1, the Tumut trio could be forgiven for dreaming of a trip to Sydney.
“Oh, there’s a trip to Albury first,” Weir said. “We’ll see how we go there.”
Weir won’t get ahead of himself but he’s an unabashed fan of the concept.
“It gives us little fellas a chance of winning some decent money,” he said. “We can’t go down there and compete against Gai (Waterhouse) and (Chris) Waller and them.”
