Prince Levi looking ahead to winter campaign

By Glenn Davis

Breaking track records is only a bonus.

That’s how Toowoomba trainer Will Kropp summed up Prince Levi’s feat of smashing Group 1 star Antino’s 2000m Doomben track record earlier this month.

Prince Levi returns for another shot to rewrite his own record when the gelding steps out in the Benchmark 80 Handicap at the same venue on Saturday.

Kropp conceded he wasn’t totally surprised when Prince Levi lowered Antino’s record when he clocked 2min 00.25secs.

It eclipsed Antino’s previous mark of 2min 00.88secs set in his Group 1 Doomben Cup triumph last year.

“There’s no bonuses for breaking track records but I suppose he’s now got his name in the record books,” Kropp said.

“It didn’t surprise me that much as they did run along at a good tempo.

“A few starts back he was beaten a head over 1800 meters at Eagle Farm and they ran a record that day as well.”

Kropp has retained winning rider Mark Du Plessis for Prince Levi who is owned by his mother Kate.

A four-year-old son of Casino Prince, Prince Levi has started 17 times for three wins and six placings with prizemoney earnings of nearly $200,000.

“We bought his mother, Miss Switzerland, in foal to Casino Prince for $2,000 off Baramul Stud and then got the mare in foal again and had her QTIS registered,” Kropp said.

Kropp has been training for six years and has around a dozen horses in work most times of the year.

Last year he attempted to go down the Queensland Derby path with Prince Levi but plans were aborted after he failed in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate at Doomben in May last year.

“He had a couple of costly accidents when he was getting ready for the Derby including one when he tossed the rider in trackwork and fell,” he said.

“I still think he’ll run 2400 metres so long as there’s a good tempo.”

Kropp, who is the son of popular Toowoomba trainer Matt Kropp, has no immediate plans with Prince Levi and will be guided by his next few starts whether to proceed to the Queensland Racing Carnival.

“If he can pick up another one or two races now, then that will be a big help for the winter as his rating is a bit low at the moment,” he said.

“He’s only a four-year-old and is still learning and a race like the Queensland Cup might suit him later on.

“I haven’t thought about taking him away to Sydney as he’s a bit of a funny traveller.

“There’s not a lot of options for him in the winter unless his rating improves so will just have to wait and see.”