3 minute read

It's the same team – but with a different horse - as Kris Lees chases back to back Newmarket Handicaps on his home track on Friday.

Lees clinched a breakthrough success last year in Newcastle Jockey Club's Group 3 autumn sprint with now retired mare Princess Posh, ridden by Brenton Avdulla, for major clients Australian Bloodstock.

Fast forward 12 months and he will start another Australian Bloodstock representative Special Reward, with Avdulla again in the saddle.

The former West Australian four-year-old clinched a start in the 1400m Newmarket by winning the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1300m), with Avdulla aboard, at Royal Randwick on February 15.

It was his seventh win from 13 starts – and his first for Lees at only his third appearance since joining the leading Newcastle trainer's team.

Special Reward  carried 54kg (Avdulla rode him 1kg over) when he beat Cascadian and Jungle Edge, and rises to 57kg for the Newcastle feature.

This will be only the second time he has attempted 1400m. He carried 58kg as a two-year-old and, conceding the winner 3kg, was narrowly beaten in a set weights and penalties' event at Perth's Belmont in June, 2018.

Nineteen horses have been entered for the Newmarket, with only Gaulois (59kg) and former New Zealander Our Abbadean (57.5kg) weighted above Special Reward.

Lees started two horses – Invincible Gem ran third to Princess Posh – last year, and he has also nominated another mare Delectation Girl (who also races under the Australian Bloodstock banner) for the Newmarket.

However, at this stage he has not yet decided whether to start her as she has also been entered for the Group 3 Aspiration Quality (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Delectation Girl has been given 54.5kg at Newcastle and 55.5kg against her own sex at Randwick.

The much-travelled mare resumed when fifth to Savatiano (runner-up in last year's Newcastle Newmarket) in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 22.

"Irrespective of where Delectation Girl runs, Aliferous (53kg) will definitely start in the Aspiration," Lees said.

"She has come on nicely since her excellent first-up second to Master Of Wine at Rosehill last Saturday week."

Lees has entered Mugatoo, Attention Run, Mr Garcia and Raheen House for the Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m) on Saturday, and some of them will also be amongst entries tomorrow for Monday's $250,000 Listed Canberra Cup (2000m).

. Danceteria has pulled up well after his first-up run for Lees in Te Akau Shark's Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick last Saturday.

"His closing sectionals were sound even though he was well beaten, but I probably would have liked to see him do a bit more," Lees said.

"We initially intended to go next to the 2000m Ranvet Stakes (Group 1) at Rosehill on March 21, but he might now run in the Group 3 Sky High Stakes (1900m) there a week earlier."

. Lees has nominated five horses – Intrinsic (2nd in ballot order), Great Danger (4th), Albert's No Pussy (7th), Enchanted Heart (8th) and Vive Marie (15th) – for Saturday's second $150,000 Provincial Championships Qualifier (1400m) at Hawkesbury.

He may run them all as they are guaranteed starts in a maximum field of 16, with provision for four emergencies if required.

Intrinsic, placed at both Canterbury and Warwick Farm at her two runs since resuming, rounded off her preparation for the Hawkesbury heat by finishing sixth to stablemate Regimental Band in a 1000m barrier trial at Wyong this morning.

. Import Chief Ironside (4th to Sir Elton in another 1000m heat in 60.01 seconds) will trial again, as will In Her Time (4th to Easy Eddie in an 845m heat in 51.72s) and Graff (3rd to From The Hip in another 845m heat in 51.43s).

In Her Time, nearing the end of her racing career before being retired to stud, is heading toward the $700,000 Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on March 21; a race she won two years ago.

Tactical Advantage, who finished strongly into second place in Easy Eddie's heat, is likely to resume at Rosehill on Saturday week in the Group 3 Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m).

Lees also was happy with his triple Group 1 winner Le Romain's fourth in From The Hip's heat, but is in no rush with the resilient seven-year-old.