The Group Two Levin Classic is one of NZ’s premier races, for three year old thoroughbreds over 1400m.
The Levin Classic for 2025 will be run January 11 at the Trentham Racecourse, the same day as the time-honoured Telegraph Handicap.
Levin Racing Club will be running a bus for its valued members to Trentham, leaving Levin at 10.30am on the day.
ROLL OF HONOUR
Horse - Owners - Sex - Jockey - Time - Trainer
1981 ALTITUDE Colt S R Autridge 1.36.00 B Ford
1982 OUR FLIGHT Filly M R Campbell 1.36.20 EB Skelton
1983 BURLETTA Filly J A Cassidy 1.36.00 FP Campbell
1984 PRINCESS DRAM Filly M C Lyndon 1.35.90 N Bradley
1985 BONECRUSHER Gelding J A Cassidy 1.36.90 F Ritchie
1986 THE BISHOP Gelding M C Lyndon 1.36.78 D Couchman
1987 YOUNG INDIAN Colt P G Tims 1.35.75 N Morgan
1988 KRONA Colt P G Tims 1.35.53 R McGlade
1989 PHILLIPA RUSH Filly L A O'Sullivan 1.36.20 J Campin
1990 EAGLE EYE Gelding N G Harris 1.39.64 MP Baker
Race transferred from Levin to Otaki-Maori Racecourse
1991 VEANDERCROSS Gelding J Walker 1.34.35 C Turner
1992 NIMUE Filly L A O'Sullivan 1.33.66 D & P O'Sullivan
1993 AL AKBAR Colt G J Grylls 1.43.97 C Wood
1994 AVEDON Colt D G Bradley 1.34.81 FP Campbell
1995 PRUSSIAN BLUE Colt S R Udy 1.34.97 Mrs D Waddell
1996 O’REILLY Colt L A O'Sullivan 1.35.74 D & P O'Sullivan
1997 LOVE DE TOR Filly G Childs 1.33.69 M Moroney
1998 TOBRUK Colt L G Innes 1.37.67 G Richardson
1999 BUZZ LIGHTYEAR Colt O P Bosson 1.35.28 R Priscott
2000 TIT FOR TAAT Colt H S Tinsley 1.35.11 W Herbert
2001 FINAL DESTINATION Filly G J Grylls 1.35.88 Mrs V Hillis
2002 BUNKER Colt O P Bosson 1.37.14 T & SJ McKee
2003 RUSSIAN PEARL Colt H S Tinsley 1.34.96 B & S Marsh
2004 AMBITIOUS OWNER Gelding L G Innes 1.34.77 MP Baker
2005 WAHID Gelding H S Tinsley 1.36.18 AS Sharrock
2006 POROTENE GEM Filly D J Walker 1.40.10 K Gray
2007 KEEPA CRUISIN Filly L G Innes 1.34.85 SJ McKee
2008 ALTERED IMAGE Gelding M T Coleman 1.32.50 M Moroney
2009 EILEEN DUBH Filly JKB Riddell 1.35.43 F Finnegan
2010 WE CAN SAY IT NOW Filly LG Innes 1.34.27 MP Baker
2011 DISTILL Gelding RJ Hannam 1.35.97 RB Bergerson
2012 SOUTHERN LORD Gelding KA Myers 1.34.63 A Tait
Race transferred to Wellington.
2014 RECITE The Oaks Stud Filly M Du Plessis 1.36.10 JGG Bary
2015 GAULTIER W Eagles Plumbing Supplies Pty Ltd Gelding MT Coleman 1.36.67 Miss DM Guy
2016 DUKEDOM DR & SD Cole Gelding LJ Allpress 1.36.96 SP Cole
2017 HALL OF FAME Te Akau 24/7 Syndicate (Mgr: D C Ellis) Colt OP Bosson 1.35.54 SR Autridge & JW Richards
2018 AGE OF FIRE Te Akau 2016 Sydney Breeding Syndicate No.2 (Mgr: D C Ellis) Colt OP Bosson 1.36.63 SR Autridge & JW Richards
2019 MADISON COUNTY China Horse Club Racing Pty Ltd Gelding Matthew Cameron 1.35.89 Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
2020 TRAVELLING LIGHT C R & I MacRury Filly Samantha Collett 1.36.91 Ben Foote
2021 BONHAM(AUS) G E Harding Filly Lisa Allpress 01.37.67 Johno Benner & Hollie Wynyard
2022 IMPERATRIZ (AUS) Te Akau Invincible Empress Racing Partnership Filly Michael McNab 1.36.43 Jamie Richards
2023 ROMANCING THE MOON Te Akau Moonstruck Racing Partnership Filly Kozzi Asano 1.37.13 Mark Walker
2024 QUINTESSA Te Akau Awarded Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis) Filly Opie Bosson 1.35.35 Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson
World-class racehorses Imperatriz and I Wish I Win are separated by champion juvenile On The Bubbles at the finish of the 2022 Levin Classic at Trentham. Photo: Race Images NZ
2022 - Imperatriz
The 2022 Levin Classic saw yet another truly champion galloper of the New Zealand turf crowned when Imperatriz beat home On The Bubbles and I Wish I Win.
2012 Winner – Southern Lord
The 2012 Classic was run on Friday 30 November on a Good 3 track and time of 1.34.63. Winner was Southern Lord (AUS) (Stratum (AUS 2002 – Angel Girl (AUS) 2003) trained by Alan Tait and ridden by Kelly Myers. 2nd Le Choix (AUS) 3rd Soriano
2011 Winner – Distill
The 2011 Classic was run on Friday 25th November on a Good 3 track and time of 1.35.97. Winner was Distill (Voksraad (GB) 1988 – Fairy Tipsy (NZ) 1996) trained by Roydon Bergerson and ridden by Robert Hannam.
2010 Winner – We Can Say It Now
The 2010 Classic was run on Friday 26th November and was taken out by the imposing filly – WE CAN SAY IT NOW – a daughter of Star Craft this impressive filly went on to win the Group 1 Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham at her next start. Trained by Bjorn and Murray Baker from Cambridge and ridden by Leith Innes the filly was simply too strong for runners up Blinding and Lady Kipling.
2009 Winner – Eileen Dubh
The 2009 Levin Classic was run on Friday, 27 November at Otaki Racecourse with Eileen Dubh scoring a first ever Group winner for trainer Francis Finnegan.