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Lees Set For Big Finish To Record Season

3 minute read

Kris Lees believes he can cap a record breaking season for his stable by landing the last Group One race of the Australian racing year at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Lees rates Princess Posh a live chance in the $500,000 Tattersall's Tiara (1400m) where he will also saddle recent stable acquisition Pecans.

Both mares are owned by Lees' major clients Australian Bloodstock with Larry Cassidy booked for Princess Posh and Tim Clark riding Pecans.

Kris Lees
Kris Lees Picture: Racing and Sports

Lees declared Princess Posh is the stable elect irrespective of the fact that she has drawn barrier 16 compared with her stablemate (3).

"Princess Posh might have a sticky draw on paper, but I'm not all that concerned about it," Lees said. "They will run along and the field will spread out so she will get her chance to get into a nice position.

"You always need a bit of luck to win Group One races but I'm very happy with how Princess Posh has trained on at the Gold Coast.

"I'm confident she has a live chance in an open race."

A winning double at Wyong on Thursday boosted the number of wins for the Lees stable in the 2018-19 season to a personal record of 228, a remarkable number for a provincial-based trainer in NSW.

The stable runners have earned record prizemoney approaching $14 million and includes a G1 win by In Her Time in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington and 12 G2 and G3 wins.

Australian Bloodstock withdrew Princess Posh from the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale at the Gold Coast last month after she finished second to Kiwi sprinter The Bostonian in the G1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on May 25.

Princess Posh
Princess Posh  Picture: Steve Hart

She was then a late scratching by order of the stewards acting on veterinary advice before the G1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm on June 8.

Lees has no issues about the fitness of Princess Posh as she worked strongly between races at Doomben last week week and again galloped strongly at the Gold Coast on Tuesday.

Lees has had a number of runners in the Tatt's Tiara with his best result being a second in 2008 with Fritz's Princess.

Lees and Australian Bloodstock will be represented in other feature races at Eagle Farm on Saturday with Big Duke (Blake Shinn) in the G3 Tattersall's Cup (3000m) and Tactical Advantage (Michael Cahill) taking on the G3 Healy Stakes (1200m).

Big Duke showed a return to form with a strong finishing third to stablemate Sixties Groove in the G2 Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8.

"Getting to Eagle Farm made a big difference," Lees said. "It's a forgiving track and he appreciated it.

"I don't think he is badly treated with 60kg and expect him to be hard to beat."

Big Duke carried 53.5kg when fourth to Rekindling in the 2017 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington and has only 6kg above the limit this time in a much inferior race.

Lees was delighted to see Tactical Advantage had drawn well in barrier 6 in the 16-strong Healy Stakes field.

"I would not have run him had he drawn poorly," he said.

Tactical Advantage was a last fifth to Victorem in the Listed Hinkler Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm a fortnight ago and meets that horse 2kg better for a two lengths defeat after a wide run.

Lees also starts Snowzone (Larry Cassidy) and Game Of Thorns (Tommy Berry) in the Listed Winning Edge 2YO Stakes (1200m) and Take It Intern (Cassidy) in the GH Mumm Handicap (1820m).

 


Racing and Sports

Eagle Farm

Saturday, 22nd June 2019

8
15:35
(local)

Sky Racing Tattersall's Tiara (G1)

Age: 3yo and up Sex: FM Type: OPEN
AUD $500,000
1400m TURF GOOD
8
15:35
(local)
AUD $500,000
1400m GOOD

Sky Racing Tattersall's Tiara (G1)

Age: 3yo and up Sex: FM Type: OPEN

Chris Waller-trained/Star Thoroughbreds-raced mare Invincibella followed her win in the Dane Ripper Stakes (Gr2, 1400m) at this track on June 8 with a narrow but game victory here, her first at the elite level and her 11th win in 38 starts. She settled in sixth place, one off the rails, tracked up nicely rounding the home turn, challenged at the 200m and fought best to score in a photo finish. Godolphinraced filly Pohutukawa raced just beyond midfield, tracked up behind runners from the 600m, made a wide move on straightening, challenged at the 200m and then battled gamely for (short half head) second. Her stablemate and favourite Savatiano raced outside the leader (Irithea), took the lead coming to the 200m and then fought well for a close-up third. Oregon's Day raced back in tenth place, moved up well on turning for home and kept fighting well for (1.2 lengths) fourth, just in front of Jamaican Rain who held on for (1.3 lengths) fifth after being handy all the way from Eckstein who came from near last at the home turn for (1.5 lengths) sixth at her first start for new trainer Chris Waller.



FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 1. INVINCIBELLA (AUS) 5yo M
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - ABSCOND (AUS)
JASON COLLETT
CHRIS WALLER
$10
57kg
F Kennedy, Mrs B Kennedy, Paramount Racing (Mgr: Ms K Wood), A Grant-Taylor, M Stiff, M Birchall, Miss C Birchall, R West, P & S Glenney & S McKee Racing (Mgr: Mrs P Glenney), R Aurisch, Mrs H Aurisch & Boeara Holdings (Mgr: Ms D Dunphy)

Sales Information

2nd 18. POHUTUKAWA (AUS) 3yo F
MEDAGLIA D'ORO (USA) - LUMINA (AUS)
BLAKE SHINN
JAMES CUMMINGS
$5
55.5kg
Godolphin
3rd 10. SAVATIANO (AUS) 4yo M
STREET CRY (IRE) - RETSINA (AUS)
TOMMY BERRY
JAMES CUMMINGS
$4.5
57kg
Godolphin
4th 4. OREGON'S DAY (AUS) 5yo M
DOMESDAY (AUS) - OREGON SEAL (NZ)
MICHAEL WALKER
CIARON MAHER & DAVID EUSTACE
$81
57kg

Sales Information

5th 15. JAMAICAN RAIN (AUS) 6yo M
MANHATTAN RAIN (AUS) - HERIZ (AUS)
JAMIE KAH
RICHARD LAMING
$31
57kg

Sales Information

6th 7. ECKSTEIN (AUS) 5yo M
I AM INVINCIBLE (AUS) - COMRIE (AUS)
CRAIG NEWITT
CHRIS WALLER
$21
57kg

Sales Information

7th 11. NOIRE (AUS) 5yo M
FOXWEDGE (AUS) - VALADON (AUS)
R FRADD
CHRIS WALLER
$21
57kg

Sales Information

8th 5. PRINCESS POSH (AUS) 5yo M
CANFORD CLIFFS (IRE) - THE BARONESS (AUS)
LARRY CASSIDY
KRIS LEES
$26
57kg

Sales Information

9th 12. NAANTALI (NZ) 4yo M
RIP VAN WINKLE (IRE) - ZALOOT (NZ)
MS NIKITA BERIMAN
CIARON MAHER & DAVID EUSTACE
$101
57kg

Sales Information

10th 8. WINTER BRIDE (AUS) 4yo M
NOT A SINGLE DOUBT (AUS) - AMBERINO (AUS)
RYAN MALONEY
TOBY EDMONDS
$21
57kg
11th 3. SPRIGHT (AUS) 5yo M
HINCHINBROOK (AUS) - DASHOFF (AUS)
MICHAEL CAHILL
GARRY FRAZER
$10
57kg

Sales Information

12th 16. OUTBACK BARBIE (AUS) 3yo F
SPIRIT OF BOOM (AUS) - PURE PURRFECTION (AUS)
JIM BYRNE
TONY GOLLAN
$21
55.5kg

Sales Information

13th 17. MULTAJA (AUS) 3yo F
MEDAGLIA D'ORO (USA) - SHELTERS (AUS)
J LLOYD
JAMES CUMMINGS
$9
55.5kg
14th 19. BACCARAT BABY (AUS) 3yo F
CASINO PRINCE (AUS) - MEERLUST (AUS)
MICHEAL HELLYER
DAVID VANDYKE
$31
55.5kg

Sales Information

15th 13. SIREN'S FURY (AUS) 5yo M
MYBOYCHARLIE (IRE) - DE CHORUS (AUS)
MS T HARRISON
JASON COYLE
$101
57kg

Sales Information

16th 14. PECANS (AUS) 5yo M
SKILLED (AUS) - WALNUT (AUS)
TIM CLARK
KRIS LEES
$81
57kg

Sales Information

17th 9. EGG TART (AUS) 5yo M
SEBRING (AUS) - MRS WINDSOR (AUS)
GLEN BOSS
CHRIS WALLER
$17
57kg

Sales Information

18th 6. IRITHEA (AUS) 5yo M
SNITZEL (AUS) - KIROVSKAYA (AUS)
JAMES ORMAN
BJORN BAKER
$31
57kg

Sales Information

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