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Sydney's impending wet weather has cast doubts about the return of a couple of promising Kris Lees's horses at Royal Randwick tomorrow.
Lees will keep a close eye on rain developments in Sydney today, but this morning listed both The Bopper ($3.80 on TAB) and Ventura Ocean ($5) as unlikely runners on a predicted heavy surface.
"I would be loathed to start them if Sydney gets the rain which is expected," he said.
"And Chief Ironside ($81) probably won't run either in the Winter Stakes if it's heavy."
Josh Parr has been booked for The Bopper in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m), and leading jockey James McDonald for talented import Ventura Ocean in the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1200m).
Blinkers will come off The Bopper, who hasn't raced since finishing fourth at Flemington in late February, if he lines up, whilst Ventura Ocean is unbeaten from two Australian starts – both at Eagle Farm – since joining the stable, but hasn't appeared since March.
Lees accepted with both Chief Ironside (Jason Collett) and Countofmontecristo (McDonald, $9.50) in the Listed Winter Stakes (1400m), and was thrilled with the latter's first-up fourth to Adelong in the Listed Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on June 12.
That was the Singapore seven-year-old's first start since last October when he contested the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Cup (1800m) after being passed fit to start at the barrier following a pre-race incident.
Countofmontecristo has won 10 of his 35 starts, but strangely, given Singapore's humid climate, has never encountered heavy ground, though he was won on the soft.
"I think he will handle it okay," Lees said. "You generally find these older horses appreciate give in the ground.
"I was very happy with Countofmontecristo's first run for me. He is going well and I expect him to run well again tomorrow."
Lees also likes the prospects of Spanish Point (Nash Rawiller, $16) in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (2000m): "He has been placed at his last two starts in midweek company at 1550m and 1600m, and is looking for 2000m now," Lees said.
"Admittedly, he goes to Saturday company, but handles the ground and I'll be surprised if he doesn't give a good account of himself."
Lees has withdrawn another first-upper Mystic Gem from the 2YO Handicap (1100m), but will run Countofmontecristo's stablemate Yabadabadoo ($126) in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m). It will be his apprentice Louise Day's last ride before becoming a senior jockey on Sunday.
"Yabadabadoo did nothing at Randwick on the same day Countofmontecristo resumed, but I have an inkling he will relish the ground tomorrow," Lees said. "It wouldn't surprise me at all to see him run a much better race."
Day also will have her first ride as a senior jockey for Lees at Hawkesbury on Sunday when she again partners Controlthewitness in the Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap (1800m).
The pair teamed for a Gosford victory in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m) on June 29. Controlthewitness carried 60kg then, and rises 1.5kg on Sunday.
"At this stage, I'm planning to run him," Lees said. "He handles wet ground, and hopefully can give Louise the best start to her senior career."
