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Newcastle mare Princess Posh has earned a reprieve from the sale ring to chase an elusive Group One win in the $1.5 million Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday week.
The Kris Lees-trained Princess Posh is entered for the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale that begins at the Gold Coast on Tuesday but plans for her to be offered as a broodmare prospect were abandoned after she finished second in the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Lees confirmed that Princess Posh, raced by the Newcastle-based Australian Bloodstock syndicate, will be withdrawn from the Gold Coast sale after her fast finishing placing under weight-for-age conditions in the Kingsford Smith Cup, won by the Doomben Ten Thousand winner The Bostonian.
She now has two G1 placings on her record, having finished third in the Coolmore Classic at Rosehill in March, and her value as a broodmare will skyrocket if she can win the Stradbroke (1400m).
A rising 6YO by Canford Cliffs, Princess Posh counts two Group 3 wins among her eight victories in 32 starts with her prizemoney climbing past $750,000 following Saturday’s placing.
"That was a career highlight to run like that at weight for age," Lees said. "She ran super so the boys have decided to not sell her and run her in the Stradbroke.”
Lees will now have two Stradbroke starters as he also has Tactical Advantage, another classy sprinter raced by Australian Bloodstock, set for the race.
Lees brought Tactical Advantage back to his Newcastle stable after his close up sixth to The Bostonian in the G1 Doomben Ten Thousand on May 11 and plans to give the sprinter an exhibition gallop between races at Newcastle on Tuesday before sending him back to his Gold Coast stable next week.
“I like to space his runs. He won’t run again until the Stradbroke,” Lees said.
Lees reached a career milestone on Saturday when he won his 200th race for the current season when Alba Wings won a maiden event at the Gosford meeting.
It is the first time he has won 200 races in one season, bettering his previous best tally of 192 wins in 2017/18 and took prizemoney won by his runners in 2018/19 to more than $12.4 million - $4 million more than his team earned in the previous season.
Lees will play a big hand in the remaining features at the Brisbane carnival with a big array of runners set for the Queensland Oaks, Queensland, Brisbane Cup Derby and Tatts Tiara as well as the Stradbroke.
He could have as many as three runners – Aliferous, Itz Lily and Angel Of Heaven - in this weekend’s $500,000 Oaks at Doomben and is keen to start Gem Song in the $600,000 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday after his last start fourth in the G1 Doomben Cup (2000m).
He has the import Sixties Groove, a strong finishing third in the Doomben Cup, set for the G2 PJ O’Shea Stakes (2200m) at Doomben this Saturday and programmed to back up seven days later in the $400,000 Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm.
Lees said he would like to run Gem Song in the Derby before the 3YO is spelled.
“He would be coming back to his own age in the Derby and I feel his class could carry him a long way, especially at set weights,” Lees said.
Gem Song easily won the Gunsynd Classic (1600m) against his own age at Eagle Farm on April 27 before stepping into open company at Doomben his last two starts, finishing third in the Listed Members’ Handicap (1600m) on May 11 before his fourth in the Doomben Cup under weight-for-age conditions.
