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Trainer Kris Lees has elected to start Randwick acceptors Oriental Lady and Marple Miss in the feature races at today’s Wyong Cup meeting.

Lees has decided to bypass Randwick engagements on Saturday to start Oriental in the $150,000 Carlton Mid Wyong Gold Cup (2080m) and Marple Miss in the $100,000 Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m).

Lees has pinpointed Oriental Lady’s Gosford Cup performance as a strong pointer to her chances in the Wyong Gold Cup.

Oriental Lady finished an excellent second to Midsummer Sun in the Listed Gosford Cup (2100m) on January 9.

Lees will have two runners in the Wyong Cup with Oriental Lady (Tim Clark) joined by Slow Pace (Christian Reith).

Both are imports and Oriental Lady is clearly his pick.

“I was very happy with her first-up run at Rosehill a couple of weeks back, and that has improved her for this race,” Lees said.

“She was second-up when she ran home strongly for a good second in the Gosford Cup in January.

“Slow Pace never got into the Coffs Harbour Cup when resuming last month, and can mix his form.

“I’m hoping he puts his best feet forward tomorrow.”

Oriental Lady was beaten only one and a half lengths on resumption when seventh to Wyong Cup rival Beyond Thankful in the Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) at Rosehill on August 15.

Lees has made contrasting gear changes on stablemates Marple Miss and Fine Bubbles in the Mona Lisa Stakes.

Fine Bubbles (Hugh Bowman) has blinkers off and instead will wear winkers while Marple Miss (Jim Cassidy) will race in blinkers.

“With Fine Bubbles, it’s change for change’s sake,” Lees said.

“She has a soft draw and her two recent Sydney runs have been okay.

“I opted for the blinkers on Marple Miss because she is coming back slightly in distance. She is definitely capable of winning this.”

Lees plans to continue on with both mares to the $125,000 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at Newcastle on September 18. Fine Bubbles won last year’s Tibbie.

Lees also runs Awasita (Samantha Clenton) and Magic Of Dreams (Jim Cassidy) in today’s Springtime Handicap (1100m).

“Awasita is backing up after a solid fifth at Rosehill last Saturday, and Magic Of Dreams is resuming and training well,” he said.

Magic Of Dreams, a Wyong winner earlier in the year, won the Newcastle heat of The Championships Provincial Series at Broadmeadow in March and looks set for another successful campaign.

Lees’ other Wyong representatives are debutant Le Romain (Bowman) in the Maiden Plate (1200m), Botany Bay (Bowman) in the Class 2 Handicap (120m) and Danish Twist (Clenton) in the Benchmark 65 Handicap (1300m).

Le Romain has been trialling nicely, Botany Bay is having his first start for the stable and Danish Twist is ready to break through following close seconds at both runs this preparation.