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Weekend assignments for dual acceptor Stella Sea Sun and dual venue acceptors High Power and Mugatoo have been decided.
Stella Sea Sun will run in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1350m) rather than the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m) for three and four-year-olds at Rosehill Gardens tomorrow; High Power tackles the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1900m) at Canterbury tonight instead of a Benchmark 78 Handicap (2000m) tomorrow, and Mugatoo has been withdrawn from the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1550m) this evening to make his Australian debut tomorrow in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1500m).
Bubbles Ball wasn't a dual acceptor, but she has also been withdrawn from the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1250m) at Canterbury.
This leaves Kris Lees with two representatives – Intrinsic (Benchmark 72 Handicap, 1100m) and High Power – at the night fixture.
Intrinsic (James McDonald) is resuming from a break and, despite the outside draw in a field of eight in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m), a "Soft 5" rating this morning was welcomed by the stable.
"Intrinsic will definitely appreciate the softer ground," stable spokesman Lucas Miller said.
"She ran some excellent races when last in work, including a fourth from an outside draw in the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic (1350m) at Ipswich in July and close fourth in the Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton the following month.
"Intrinsic took a while to come to hand returning from our Queensland base, but her last trial on the Beaumont track (third over 800m on December 30) was good.
"She has won and been placed first-up previously, and has J-Mac aboard to overcome the outside barrier.
"High Power has a big weight (although this will be offset somewhat by apprentice Sam Clenton's 2kg claim), but can race handier from a soft draw.
"He also won't mind the softer ground and has now had two runs back from a spell.
"He won first-up at home and then had to go back from the outside barrier (15) when ninth to stablemate Occupy in the Summer Provincial Series Final (1600m) last month at Gosford."
The stable is keen on the prospects of Stella Sea Sun (McDonald) at Rosehill Gardens tomorrow, where a "Soft 7" rating was posted this morning.
"Her run was terrific first-up at Randwick and she also handles rain-affected ground," Miller said.
"She should have finished at least second and has trained on well."
Stella Sea Sun was beaten less than a half-length in Aquitaine's Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m) after being crowded when jumping away and then being bumped on several occasions at a vital stage in the straight.
Stewards actually gave consideration to lodging their own protest on behalf of the mare's connections against winner Aquitaine and runner-up Switched, adding further merit to Stella Sea Sun's performance.
Irish import Mugatoo (Hugh Bowman) is without doubt an interesting runner in the Benchmark 78, making his first Australian appearance.
"Mugatoo spent a few weeks at Canterbury in quarantine when he arrived in Australia last spring, but Kris felt the bigger Rosehill track would be more suitable tomorrow," Miller explained.
"He is a lightly-raced five-year-old (two wins from only six starts) and is a nice horse, and Kris has a good opinion of him.
"His trial when he ran home strongly to finish second (though beaten four lengths) over 1200m on the Beaumont track on December 30 was impressive, but the pace will determine his chances in this race.
"Mugatoo's two wins in England were over 2300m and 2900m. From an awkward draw, he will go back and is going to need a good speed up front to be able to wind up.
"If he gets the speed, he definitely can be very competitive."
. Lees has two acceptors - Wandabaa (Class 3 Plate, 1000m) and Snowzone (3YO Colts and Geldings Handicap, 1200m) – at Eagle Farm tomorrow and Andrew Mallyon rides both.
"Wandabaa has won three of her six starts and we tried her over 1250m at Canterbury in late November, but she didn't finish the race off," Miller said.
"Kris freshened her and trialled her on December 30, and has brought her back to 1000m.
"From an inside gate, she should get every chance."
Lees has decided to put blinkers back on Snowzone if he lines up tomorrow.
"Snowzone has drawn awkwardly, and Kris hasn't yet made a decision on whether he will run," Miller explained.
Snowzone returned as a gelding with a first-up victory in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1150m) on the Beaumont track on December 21 before an excellent sixth to Phobetor in the $250,000 Magic Millions Rising Stars Class 4 Plate (1300m) at the Gold Coast on January 4.
"That was a very strong race, and he is back to his own class," Miller said. "Kris has put blinkers back on to keep him focused."
. Lees also runs Elas Jet (2100m Class 1/Maiden Plate) and Major Heist (1400m Maiden Handicap) at tomorrow's TAB meeting at Tuncurry. Andrew Gibbons has been booked for the pair.
