Ken Casellas | Race Replay
It was as a young boy in Western Australia that Steve Levar developed a keen interest in horses, and as a 14-year-old he broadcast harness racing trials at Byford before calling meetings at the trots and gallops.
Now in his 40s, he has been living and working in Singapore for the past 20-odd years, and he retains his love of harness racing as well as owning a publishing business and being involved in entrepreneurial and investment activities.
As a sideline, he studies form and breeding of pacers in New Zealand, and he made a well-informed choice last year to purchase a three-year-old gelding American Blaze, who had shown glimpses of form with two wins and two placings from eleven starts.
It is proving to be a wise decision, and the lightly-raced American Blaze produced a sample of his class when he won an extremely exciting $50,000 John Higgins Memorial over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
This was American Blaze’s third win from four starts for Levar, who races the four-year-old in partnership with his father, Steve Levar senior.
American Blaze is unbeaten at his two starts for Blythewood trainer-reinsman Michael Munro, who produced the American Ideal gelding in fine fettle for a smart first-up victory in a heat of the Higgins at Bunbury’s Donaldson Park on July 11 when he took the lead after 650m and defeated Major Disco.
Munro repeated the dose on Friday night when American Blaze, the $1.50 favourite from barrier four, dashed to the front after 120m, with Aiden De Campo content to take the sit with the $3.90 second fancy.
Curadh, the $11 third fancy, began from the outside of the back line and settled at the rear before Dylan Egerton-Green enlivened proceedings after about 550m by urging the five-year-old forward with a lightning burst which enabled him to charge to the front.
But moments after gaining the lead Curadh broke into a gallop. Munro immediately was able to ease off the inside running and dash past the galloper to regain the lead.
From Tigerland ($17) then moved to the breeze, leaving Major Disco in a watertight pocket behind the pacemaker. Major Disco gained an inside run 120m from the post when American Blaze shifted out, and Major Disco got his nose in front in the final couple of strides before American Blaze fought back to win by a short half-head, rating 1.58.6 after final quarters of 29.2sec. and 28.4sec.
“Major Disco headed us, but American Blaze was up for the fight, and he kicked back and won,” said Munro. “There is plenty of improvement in American Blaze. Only good horses win this race, and hopefully he measures up to run in the big races for four-year-olds later in the year.”
American Blaze, who has earned $71,959 from five wins and two placings from 15 starts, is the tenth and final foal out of the In the Pocket mare Ballymahon, who was retired after racing 24 times for one win, one placings and $7139 in prizemoney.
WA pacing fans will remember American Blaze’s half-brother Sir Brutus having the final five runs (unplaced) of his 113-start career at Gloucester Park in 2015 and 2016. Sir Brutus was a handy performer who earned $82,083 from 14 wins and 17 placings from 64 starts. Another half-brother, Classiemahon raced 113 times for 15 wins, 25 placings and $85,485 in stakes.