A frustrating month of disappointments and bad luck was forgotten when leading Gippsland trainer Peter Gelagotis saddled up impressive winners Levendi (Sportsbet-Ballarat, Sunday) and The Willybe (Warrnambool, Monday).
Two-year-old colt debutant Levendi ($4.40) raced outside leader and favourite Last Light ($3.80) before showing an outstanding turn of foot when given his head by jockey Ben Melham, racing away for a comfortable win over another couple of well backed first starters, Sully ($6.50) and Anchor Bid ($6.50), in the 1200-metre race.
Levendi, which is Greek for “handsome male”, was purchased at the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale by Manny Gelagotis (Peter’s brother and stable manager) for $140,000 as a classic three-year-old prospect.
Manny Gelagotis was glowing in his praise of the Pierro colt. 
“He’s a high-class talent who has always shown that he might possess above-average ability,” he said. “He trialled exceptionally well at Cranbourne (May 8) and then won a jump-out at Sale by eight lengths.”
Levendi was dropped off on the way home from Ballarat at the spelling farm, with the stable keen to target the spring carnival, with the $2 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 14 on his agenda.
“We can’t wait to get him back for the spring,” Manny Gelagotis said. “He’ll be aimed at some of the spring’s premier three-year-old races. I think he’ll be a really nice 1600-to-2000-metre horse in the spring.”
Levendi is owned by a large syndicate including Gippsland businessmen Ian Grant, Peter Stevens and Mark Answerth. 
He races in the colours of another part-owner, Bruno Micalizzi, who has enjoyed plenty of recent success with the Gelagotis brothers’ stable star Malaguerra. 
Micalizzi is also an owner of last Saturday’s impressive Doomben stakes winner Bonny O’Reilly (trained by Bjorn Baker) and The Willybe.
Ex-New Zealand stayer The Willybe, a new addition to Gelagotis stable, might have thought he was still in his homeland on Monday when he arrived at Warrnambool to a heavy 10 racing surface on a cold and showery afternoon. 
The five-year gelding by Alamosa, twice a winner (1400 and 2100m) in New Zealand, has also been competitive in Listed Stakes races.  
Solid in the market at Warrnambool, The Willybe ($5), jumped straight to the front, with Anthony Darmanin controlling the race, easily winning the BM64 (1400m) by four lengths.
The Willybe was sourced by Bluegrass Bloodstock principal Lenny Russo for his new owners. 
Russo is forming a productive association with the Gelagotis brothers, having bred another stable star in Moss ’n’ Dale (seven wins from 14 starts) and purchased Malaguerra as a yearling. 
Interestingly, champion jumps trainer Eric Musgrove is in The Willybe’s ownership, so we might see him head over the jumps at some stage, though the Gelagotis brothers are hoping that is a couple of years away.
Manny said post-race: “He’s a very nice stayer. We’ll just continue to work him through the grades. He does look set for a good preparation.”
The Gelagotis brothers’ Moe training complex is full heading into winter, with 22 in work. 
Recent Sale (June 1) maiden runners Scensay (second) and Meat Traders (fourth) looking capable of picking up their first win in the coming weeks. 
Another promising maiden galloper, My Unicorn, who flashed home late for fourth on debut at Moe (May 25), has headed to the paddock for a spell.
Conlon kicking on
Cranbourne trainer Brett Conlon only has a small team at present, but he is certainly building an impressive strike rate with three winners from 11 runners this season, highlighted by the recent victories of Gala Moshea (Ballarat) and The Implicator (Racing.com Park synthetic).
Gala Moshea scored on her fifth trip to races, winning a three-year-old fillies maiden (1100m) with underrated jockey Arron Lynch in the saddle. 
The Implicator, returning from a nine-month break, storming home late with apprentice Jessica Eaton in the saddle to win the BM58 (1100m). The four-year-old gelding by Star Witness has now won three of his 14 starts.
Conlon, 42, is in his third season of training, with 12 horses on his books and five currently in training, of whom only The Implicator and Gala Moshea have raced. 
Conlon has a three-year-old by Snippetson almost ready to trial, and rising two-years-old by Moshe (two) and Fiorente. 
Conlon was born in New Zealand, and commenced a jockey’s apprenticeship, but his size put an end to that dream before he even reached the races. 
He rode work for Graham Rogerson before moving to Australia in 1993, determined to chase greater opportunities and gain further knowledge of his chosen industry.
Conlon joined John Hawkes at Crown Lodge in Sydney, where he progressed quickly through the ranks
After only three months he was managing and running the Woodlands Adelaide stable while the stable manager took leave, something he would do on a regular basis in years to come.
Conlon joined Carbine Lodge in Melbourne, where for many years he was a senior foreman, working as right-hand man to Hawkes’s son Wayne. 
Conlon longed to train in his own right, and after a stint in Singapore as an assistant to Australian Shane Baertshiger, he moved back to Australia and was granted a licence.
Conlon is grateful for the knowledge he gained in his 20-year apprenticeship, explaining: “John and Wayne Hawkes trusted my abilities, I’m truly grateful for that opportunity. 
“Working beside these well respected and professional blokes was truly a motivational and unique experience, equipping me with the knowledge and determination to succeed as a professional racehorse trainer.”
Conlon worked with such good horses as Sepoy, Railings, Forensics, Headturner, Arena, Dizelle, Lonhro, Freemason, Tributes, Lovelorn, Over, Dodge, Crawl, Sports, Viscount, Sale of Century, Niello, Fine Society, Dracula, Mentality, Unwordly, Align, Yell and many others while working for Hawkes and, briefly, Peter Snowden.
Conlon met his partner Lyndal Pankhurst whilst they both worked for Team Hawkes at Flemington. 
Pankhurst is currently the manager of Julong Park, an equestrian centre at Bangholme on a property that used to be a racing farm known as Three Dragons.
The Implicator will contest a BM64 (1200m) at Racing.com Park (June 25) while Gala Moshea will be given a freshen-up, prior to targeting a three-year-old fillies race over 1300 metres at Ladbrokes Park (July 5).