La Dorada back to her best in Levin Classic
Joshua Smith • January 3rd, 2026 6:30 PM • 4 min read
All eyes and money were on Argo prior to the Gr.2 Levin Track Supporters Levin Classic (1400m), with the world’s leading jockey James McDonald aboard the gelding, but it was La Dorada who scored top honours when returning to her brilliant best in the Trentham feature on Saturday.
The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained filly was victorious over the same track and distance when taking out last season’s Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) on her way to being crowned Champion New Zealand Two-Year-Old.
She has been disappointing in her subsequent three starts as a three-year-old, finishing second-to-last and last in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) and Gr.3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m) respectively in Australia before a subpar fourth placed run when resuming at Te Rapa last month.
Her trainers thought she may have needed the run, and that proved to be the case when she bounced back to form on Saturday, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing at the Upper Hutt track.
There was an injection of early pace in the race, but jockey Craig Grylls didn’t want any part of the fight and drifted back from their ace draw to settle La Dorada off the pace in midfield.
However, as the pace slackened, she got pushed further back and had just three horses behind her when turning for home. Grylls was able to weave his way through runners and La Dorada showed her brilliance of old when storming home to score a half-length victory over Swiss Prince, with Argo back in third.
“She hopped away okay but there were about five horses that wanted to go hard for the first 100m and I was happy to take a sit, I didn’t want to use up too much,” Grylls said.
“As soon as they crossed us the anchors just went on, it was pretty rough, we all got shuffled back. I have just kept on riding her through, it has all opened up, and what a wicked turn of foot she had. She is back to her best.
“It wasn’t ideal how it worked out but a good horse like that can get you out of sticky situations. She is not big, but she is all heart.”
Bergerson was trackside, and while he was despondent with her position for much of the journey, he was rapt with her finish and admitted to being a relieved man post-race.
“It was a massive relief, I can’t thank the team enough at home that have done a fantastic job with her,” he said.
“We were scratching our heads after Te Rapa. She did have a good blow after it and we thought there was improvement in her. We kept the work up to her, she has thrived and done really well. We made sure we were up to the mark and it was fantastic to see her bounce back like that.
“When she got shuffled back on the fence and there was no speed, I thought it was going to be a disaster, but it was a great ride and it was great to see her back in form.
“Hopefully she can come through this well and we can crack on to the Karaka Million.”
La Dorada won the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) last year and now looms as a key contender for the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 24.
“She has got the good attitude where she loves her racing and she is just so tough,” Bergerson said. “I am confident that she can travel home, do everything well, and I am really excited for three weeks’ time.”
Bred by Chittick Investments Ltd and Waikato Stud Ltd, the Super Seth filly was offered through the Matamata farm’s 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft where she was purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis for $190,000.
She has gone on to win five of her nine starts, including four at stakes level, and has earned just shy of $1.3 million in prizemoney.
With Saturday’s winning performance, La Dorada has re-entered calculations to fill Te Akau Racing’s slot in the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie in March, a race the country’s leading stable won last year with Damask Rose.
