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Impressive last-start winner Enchanted Heart will be chasing a “consolation” victory at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday if she misses a Golden Eagle berth.
But Kris Lees says her own stablemate, three-year-old filly Perfect Radiance , will be a more than worthy rival for her in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m).
Enchanted Heart bolted in on the Kensington track in a similar race over the same distance on October 21, and goes up 1kg with Nash Rawiller, who gave her a splendid ride that day, again partnering her.
Lees accepted with the Shamus Award mare in the $7.5m Golden Eagle (1500m) on the same program, but she was made second emergency and her trainer doesn't expect she will gain a start.
"Naturally, she will run if she does get into the field," he said this afternoon.
"But realistically, it looks as though we will have to settle for the Benchmark 72 (worth considerably less at $125,000).
"Enchanted Heart has trained on well since the Kensington win and she is a good wet tracker.
"However, she won't have things easy as her stablemate has 8kg less.
"Perfect Radiance (Rachel King) has won two of her only three starts, and has a lot of upside.
"She has come on well since her first-up win at home on October 17 and is ready to go to town."
French import Rider In The Snow is an interesting runner as he makes his Australian debut for Lees without blinkers in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1900m).
Stable apprentice Louise Day's 3kg claim lessens the six-year-old's weight to 58kg.
"We've taken our time with him (the gelding hasn't raced since finishing second over 2600m at Fontainebleau in March), and he has had two trials to prepare him for his resumption," Lees said.
"I've got no doubt he will need every bit of the 1900m, but expect him to be hitting the line well."
Think Free, another mount for Day, also resumes, in the shorter 1200m Benchmark 78 Handicap.
The five-year-old mare, who has won five of her 12 starts, hasn't raced since January when unplaced over 1300m on the Kensington track.
"A leg injury kept her sidelined and, though she has trialled twice this month, I'm sure she will take plenty of improvement from Saturday's outing," Lees sad.
Rosehill was rated a "Heavy 8" today and Lees wants to check final track conditions before deciding whether he goes ahead with starts for Safado (Day) and Game Of Thorns (Brenton Avdulla) in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m).
. He has split Top Prospect and Articus to avoid a clash at Saturday's Doomben fixture.
Apprentice Nathan Fazackerley's 3kg claim will drop Top Prospect's weight to 57.5kg in the Benchmark 90 Handicap (2040m), whilst Articus (Michael Cahill) and Mongolian Wolf (Larry Cassidy) will contest the Open Handicap (1640m).
Fazackerley knows Top Prospect as he is apprenticed to trainer Mel Eggleston, who manages Lees' Gold Coast stable.
Top Prospect clinched a well-deserved breakthrough over 1600m at Doomben on October 17 after being narrowly beaten in the Lismore Cup (2110m) on September 24.
. Lees has made gear changes on two of his three runners at Newcastle on Saturday.
Always On Show (Andrew Gibbons) has blinkers off in the Maiden Plate (1250m), and Riva Capri (Aaron Bullock) resumes minus winkers in the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1250m).
"Always On Show over-raced when a first-up third at home a fortnight ago, hence the decision to race her without blinkers," Lees explained.
"Riva Capri hasn't raced since early July and, whatever she does first-up, will be better for the run."
Lees' other Newcastle representative is Triple Ace (Bullock), who steps up to a Class 1 Handicap (900m) after comfortably winning a Maiden over the same course at home a fortnight ago when resuming.
"He has trained on nicely and should run well again especially from an inside draw (the rail is out 6m), though it looks a competitive race," he said.
