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Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has turned his attention to Victoria this weekend with starters at Caulfield on Saturday and Bendigo on Sunday.

Lees has made a successful habit of sending horses to Brisbane at all times of the year but this time the float has gone the other way.

He sent three horses to Melbourne on Wednesday night for the weekend racing with two to line up at Caulfield on Saturday and the other at Bendigo on Sunday.

Damien Oliver will ride Rustic Melody, a scratching from Rosehill on Saturday, at Caulfield and Raido at Bendigo.

Lees’ third Melbourne visitor Awasita will have Craig Newitt in the saddle at Caulfield on Saturday.

“It is a little unusual for us to send horses to Melbourne other than at carnival time or for bonus races,” Lees said.

“But there are a couple of reasons. Firstly, Awasita and Raido are both raced by Prime Thoroughbreds, and some of their owners are from Victoria.

“And I felt the Caulfield race was more suitable for Rustic Melody than at Rosehill on Saturday.

“My thinking is that 1600m at Caulfield will be more to her liking than the shorter race at Rosehill.”

Rustic Melody has come up with the rails barrier at Caulfield against her own sex.

“Awasita won’t have an easy task but she is racing against her own sex and the 1100m appears to be her best distance,” Lees said.

“She did her earlier racing in Victoria, so there shouldn’t be any problem about her going the reverse way.”

Awasita won her last start at Canterbury on July 23, beating Glenbawn Dame over 1100m, and that mare is also opposing her again at Caulfield.

Awasita has drawn barrier seven, whereas Glenbawn Dame has to cope with the outside alley in a field of 11.

Consistent sprinter Raido has drawn barrier nine in a field of 15 for his Bendigo assignment.

At his third run this time in he was a gallant second to Last Witness over 1100m on heavy ground at Canterbury on July 23.

Meanwhile Lees is guarded about Savoureux’s excellent first-up record in assessing her prospects for her resumption at Rosehill on Saturday.

He has booked apprentice Andrew Atkins for the mare as his 3kg metropolitan claim lessens Savoureux’s weight to 58kg.

Savoureux, another member of the Prime Thoroughbreds team, has a 50 per cent first-up winning record, having won twice from four first-up runs but Lees isn’t sure it is a relevant statistic for her weekend assignment.

“Those two wins were earlier in her career,” Lees pointed out. Now as an older mare, she usually takes a run at least before reaching her peak.

“This is a pretty strong race and it won’t be an easy task by any means, though I am pleased with the way she is coming along.”

Savoureux has won six of her 17 starts. She was successful in the G3 Wenona Girl (1200m) at Randwick ïn March and was rested after finishing ninth to Sultry Feeling in the G3 Birthday Card (1200m) at Rosehill two weeks later.

Savoureux has trialled twice recently, the latest when runner-up to Pirate Ben in an 845m Wyong heat on July 18.

Lees has another four Rosehill starters on Saturday – Doukhan, Game Pie, Slow Pace and Sense of Occasion.

Brenton Avdulla rides Doukhan and Game Pie, Tommy Berry is on Slow Pace, and Kerrin McEvoy has the Sense of Occasion mount.

Doukhan ran a terrific third over 1900m at Canterbury on July 6 at his first run in 13 months. He had won his previous start over 2400m at Rosehill on June 8 last year.

“It was a very hard run first-up, and he has needed the subsequent break to get over it,” Lees said.

“I don’t get too carried away with horses coming back from tendon trouble, but there was plenty to like about his Canterbury performance, albeit being in a midweek race.

“If he can run up to that form, then he will certainly come into calculations.”

Game Pie has been gelded since he last raced.

He hasn’t started since finishing eighth to Unequivocal in a heat of the Provincial Championships (1400m) at Kembla Grange on March 11.

“Game Pie won first-up last time over 1500m at Hawkesbury but his form tapered off afterwards,” Lees said.

“He was troubled by a throat problem, but that no longer seems to be an issue.

“He has had two trials, and is ready for the 1500m.”

Slow Pace, now nine, hasn’t won in Australia but has been placed on five occasions including two at G3 level.

Sense of Occasion, a recent addition to the stable, beat glamour stablemate Lucia Valentina in a 1000m barrier trial at Gosford on August 1.

Last year’s Brisbane Cup runner-up is being prepared for the Newcastle Gold Cup (2200m) on the Beaumont track on September 16.