Not many gallopers graduate from midweek restricted races to win Group One features but royally-bred Patinack Farm colt Levi's Choice might prove an exception to the rule.A cracking son of Galileo out of former top race mare Nina Haraka, Levi's Choice made light work of his opposition with an easy win in the Ambassador Travel Maiden Plate (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.At just his second race start, Levi's Choice ($2.20 fav) did plenty wrong during the run but justified his short quote when
Not many gallopers graduate from midweek restricted races to win Group One features but royally-bred Patinack Farm colt Levi's Choice might prove an exception to the rule.
A cracking son of Galileo out of former top race mare Nina Haraka, Levi's Choice made light work of his opposition with an easy win in the Ambassador Travel Maiden Plate (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.
At just his second race start, Levi's Choice ($2.20 fav) did plenty wrong during the run but justified his short quote when jockey Stathi Katsidis asked him for an effort in the straight.
Levi's Choice strolled home to beat Turnitup ($3.10) by 1-3/4 lengths with Umanova ($26) a short neck back third and while the quality of opposition wasn't top shelf, the authority of the win was impressive.
Levi's Choice is on target for the Group One TJ Smith (1600m) on June 12 and the win added valuable collateral to his bank balance as he aims to beat the ballot in the better races.
Patinack Farm head trainer John Thompson said Levi's Choice was a top-quality colt who would not be out of his depth in the upcoming Group One.
"He definitely has a touch of class about him," Thompson said.
"We brought him up for the TJ Smith and although he's still a bit green he's heading in the right direction.
"To be able to do a few things wrong and still win as comfortably as he did shows he deserves a crack at the good races."
Thompson said Levi's Choice would probably have his next start in the Group Two Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 5 and back up in the TJ Smith at the same course seven days later.
Levi's Choice was the first leg of a Patinack Farm double with Danzero filly Dance Of The Ocean scoring a big win on debut in the www.brc.com Maiden Plate (1200m).
With the rail out 12 metres, Dance Of The Ocean ($5.50) came from a seemingly impossible position on the corner to reel in Benny's Buttons ($8) right on the line for a short head win.
Fillydelphia ($12) was 2-1/4 lengths away third.
Thompson said Dance Of The Ocean and Levi's Choice were vastly different gallopers and added the filly would avoid the top races in the coming months.
"She's a nice filly but she is more of a speedy thing and the pace on in that race helped her," he said.
"She's not in the same class as Levi's Choice and we will take her along steadily and find the right races for her."