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Kris Lees nears a career tally of 2000 winners

3 minute read

Also a "double century" for a second successive season, he runs five runners in a black type race for the first time at Rosehill Gardens tomorrow.

And their performances will help him plan his team for a crack at the $200,000 Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) on July 9.

Trainer : Kris Lees
Trainer : Kris Lees Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

Prior to today's meeting at Scone, Racing and Sports statistics reveal Lees had chalked up 1985 winners and 195 this season following on from a record 249 last season.

He runs Sixties Groove  (Kerrin McEvoy), Big Duke  (Nash Rawiller), Frankely Awesome  (Jason Collett), Mongolian Wolf (Tim Clark) and recent first-up winner Attention Run (Andrew Adkins) in the Listed McKell Cup (2000m), taking on Sydney training supremo Chris Waller, who also has five representatives.

Big Duke prior to, running in the Stella Artois Caulfield Cup
Big Duke prior to, running in the Stella Artois Caulfield Cup Picture: Racing and Sports

Between them, they have all but three of the 13-horse McKell Cup field.

Whilst Attention Run  is the early pre-post favorite on the strength of landing a Benchmark 88 Handicap over the same course on June 13, Lees has a liking for veteran Big Duke to bounce back to winning form.

The rising nine-year-old is on the comeback trail, having pulled up with cardiac arrythmia and a joint issue when eased out of the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) last October.

He resumed when ninth to renowned mudlark Wu Gok (a rival again tomorrow and whom he meets 2kg better) in the Lord Mayor's Cup over the McKell course on May 30.

"I liked his first-up run when he went back to last from a wide barrier and is better drawn tomorrow.," Lees said this morning.

"Big Duke has raced well second-up before, including finishing a close fifth in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick last October before he had those issues in the Caulfield Cup.

"Obviously, it's hard to split my five but his work has been good and I feel he will run a bold race and has a great each-way chance. He is starting to creep down in the weights.

"I would have liked to have had a bigger gap between Attention Run's first-up win and her next race, but she is in good order and likes the soft ground.

"Sixties Groove, being a Brisbane Cup winner, is the class horse and can also run well after two runs back.

"He doesn't want it any wetter all the same.

"Frankely Awesome did enough at her last run to show that she is still worth persevering with.

"Mongolian Wolf  might be the roughie of our five, but isn't without a knockout chance.

"There won't be a fitter horse in the race, and he was good late the other day (seventh in Attention Run's race after being slowly away and last on the home turn).

"All five horses are possibilities to go to Grafton for the Cup on Thursday week."

Lees has prepared a metropolitan weekend double (plus a first-time city trifecta at Royal Randwick last Saturday) at the last two Sydney meetings, and also has numbers in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1800m).

He runs Itz Lily (Jean Van Overmeire), Chilly Cha Cha (Sam Clipperton) and Azarmin (Robbie Dolan) and feels the former can improve on her latest defeat at Randwick three weeks ago.

"I don't know that she was going well enough, but got into the inferior ground near the inside that day," he said. "She can definitely run better here."

Kellstorm (Dolan) is the stable's representative in the 3200m Stayers' Cup.

"You couldn't tip him on his form, but he can cause a surprise if he runs up to his trackwork," Lees said.

"The ground won't worry him and neither will the distance."

Lees' other Rosehill runner is Chalmers (Collett) in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1500m).

"His midweek runs have been okay, and hopefully dropping 6kg will help him going up in class to a Saturday race," Lees said.


Racing and Sports

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