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Veteran stayer Doukhan has an important gear change at Randwick on Saturday when the nine-year-old tackles 3200m for the third time in two months in the ATC Stayers Cup.

Trainer Kris Lees has removed the winkers from Doukhan in a bid to get the best out of the gelding after his last start fifth in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes over 3200m at Flemington. In April he finished a closing seventh in the G1 Sydney Cup over Saturday’s course and distance.

“He got his head on the side in the straight in the Andrew Ramsden Stakes otherwise he would have been in the finish,” Lees said.

“With these older horses, sometimes you have to change their gear around.

“I’m happy with Doukhan, and feel he will run really well. He relishes rain-affected ground and has the right weight (53kg) to be very competitive.”

Lees has booked apprentice Jean Van Overmeire to ride the import in the Stayers Cup even though apprentices cannot claim.

Van Overmeire has an excellent record on the gelding, rding him to wins over 2400m and 2700m in Sydney last spring.

Lees also has made a gear change on another import Hallelujah Boy (Jason Collett), who is striving for an Australian breakthrough over 2000m.

The blinkers are coming off and a nose roll is going on the former Japanese gelding, who has not finished further back than fifth in his last five runs.

“Hallelujah Boy is racing honestly, and getting close to a win,” Lees said.

The Lees team at Randwick also includes good sprinter Dal Cielo in the $150,000 June Stakes (1100m).

Jeff Penza, who won the Newcastle Provincial Championships Qualifier in March for Lees on Princess Posh, rides Dal Cielo in the Listed sprint.

“We’ve had a bit of luck with Jeff, and I think there is good improvement in this horse on his recent third at Randwick,” Lees said.

At his first start since March when placed over 1050m at Doomben, Dal Cielo wasn’t far from Dreamforce and I Thought over the same 1100m course at Randwick on May 26 and drops 2.5kg.

Lees has dual representatives in both the Benchmark 90 Handicap (1600m) and Benchmark 85 Handicap (1200m).

Our Gravano (Aaron Bullock) and Bastia (Christian Reith) run in the former, and Powerline (Bullock) and Star Reflection (Van Overmeire) contest the latter.

Our Gravano could not secure clear running when a luckless fifth over 1500m at Rosehill last Saturday whilst Bastia returned to the winning list over this course and distance on May 26.

“Our Gravano had a soft run last week, so there should be no problem with him backing up, and Bastia puts himself on the speed and makes his own luck,” Lees said.

“I’ve probably got a slight leaning toward Bastia.”