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Dual State acceptor Raheen House has gone north to run at the Gold Coast tomorrow.
Kris Lees plumped for the Gold Coast Cup (2400m) rather than the Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) even though the former's prizemoney is half the NSW race.
"It's a better option because the distance is more suitable at the Gold Coast," Lees said this morning.
"I've been waiting for a heavy track with him, and he is going to get that tomorrow."
Imported seven-year-old Raheen House was placed in last year's Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick on heavy ground after winning the Group 2 Chairman's Quality (2600m), also on heavy ground, there a week earlier.
He hasn't been placed in five subsequent starts, the latest when 11th to Favorite Moon in the Group 3 Manion Cup (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 27.
"If Raheen House could find his best form, he would definitely be up to winning this," Lees said.
"But he has to be taken on trust."
Lees has withdrawn Miss Canada from the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) because of the wet track, and instead will run her in the Listed Denise's Joy Stakes (1100m) against her own age and sex at the Scone meeting to be held at Rosehill Gardens next weekend.
The leading Newcastle trainer won the 900m Bat Out Of Hell at the Gold Coast three years ago with Guard Of Honour (Damian Browne), but isn't confident he can do it again, with Iconic Star (Brenton Avdulla) tomorrow.
"She is struggling for form, and I've decided to put blinkers on her," Lees said.
. Lees was delighted with Mugatoo's hitout in a 1200m Newcastle trial on Wednesday, and is looking forward to running him in the Group 1 wfa Doomben Cup (2000m) on May 22.
The All-Star Mile winner hasn't raced since running fourth in the $3m Doncaster Mile at Randwick on April 10, and backing up a week later when sixth (beaten less than two lengths) to British Bulldog Addeybb in the $4m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at the same track.
Regular rider Hugh Bowman was in Newcastle to partner Mugatoo in the trial when he ran fourth to Super, without being put under any pressure.
"Very pleased with him," Lees said. "He won't trial again before the Doomben Cup, and always reacts well off a break between runs."
Stablemate Cristal Breeze, this year's Provincial Championships Final winner, also pleased Lees and Bowman at the trial session.
The five-year-old, building an excellent record with five wins and seven placings from only 16 starts, ran third to stablemate Snowzone in a 950m heat.
Cristal Breeze will go to Queensland for his next run, in a Benchmark 85 Handicap (1350m) at Doomben next Saturday.
. Lees had four acceptors at his home track meeting tomorrow, but has withdrawn Excelness from the Benchmark 64 Handicap (900m).
He will run Chalmers (apprentice Dylan Gibbons) in the Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap (1400m), and both Siesta Key (Aaron Bullock) and Tawfiq Lass (Andrew Gibbons) in the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m).
