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Coffs Harbour Cup winner Itz Lily’s racing career may be extended to include next week’s Newcastle Cup carnival if forecast rain arrives.

Kris Lees indicated this morning that he was considering running the mare, now racing under Julia Ritchie's Bangaloe Stud banner, in either the Australian Bloodstock Cameron Handicap (1500m) or Yarraman Park Tibbie Stakes (1400m), the latter against her own sex, at Newcastle on Friday.

Both carry Group 3 status and prizemoney of $160,000 each.

Itz Lily  (Hugh Bowman) followed her Coffs Harbour Cup (1605m) victory on August 5 with a close second, from a wide draw, to Soldier Of Love in a Benchmark 94 Handicap (1500m) at Royal Randwick last Saturday, aided by rain during the meeting which softened the track.

"Itz Lily continues to race well, and they are forecasting rain next week leading up to the Cup meeting," Lees said.

"If that happens, there's a good chance she will run in either the Cameron or Tibbie and that is likely to be her last start before being retired to stud."

Alysha Collett, who is unbeaten from four rides on Itz Lily (including the Coffs Cup), partners Lees' Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup hope Luncies.

The import will be the trainer's sole representative in his hometown Cup, which he won for the first time last year with Mugatoo after a string of minor placings.

. Never Talk  (Bowman) and Ventura Ocean (Nash Rawiller) will be his only runners at the Rosehill Gardens meeting at Kembla Grange tomorrow. Both contest the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1200m).

"Never Talk can definitely improve on her first-up run in the Toy Show  (1100m at Randwick a fortnight ago against her own sex) when she drew poorly," Lees said.

"She comes up with the inside barrier this time, but with a warm day expected tomorrow I'm just hoping the track isn't too firm for her.

"Ventura Ocean hasn't raced since resuming when a close fourth at Rosehill over 1300m at Rosehill in late July and trialled at Gosford just under a fortnight ago.

"He will take improvement from this race, but is a nice horse who is capable of running well all the same."

. Whereas Lees has only two runners at Kembla Grange, he will have four at the corresponding Doomben meeting tomorrow, and has made gear changes on two of them.

Tactical Advantage (Jim Byrne) will race without winkers in the Open Handicap (1110m), where stablemate Tavisan has come out because of an outside draw, and blinkers come off Animate (Andrew Mallyon) in the Class 6 Plate (1350m).

Tactical Advantage had two unplaced runs in Melbourne before returning home and trialled over 800m at Gosford on August 30.

"They might be a bit sharp for him at 1110m, but he went to our Gold Coast stable after the Gosford trial and has done well there," Lees said.

"Animate ran really well first-up at Kembla over 1200m on August 14 when second to Big Parade in brilliant time, then raced wide for most of the race when sixth in a similar event there a fortnight later.

"He has drawn nicely tomorrow in an open race and can run well."

Lees' other Doomben runners are Frozen In Time in the No Metropolitan Win Handicap (1200m) for fillies and mares, and Wild Sheila in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (2020m).

"Frozen In Time returned to winning form at the Sunshine Coast last start and, whilst this is harder, she isn't to be dismissed," Lees said.

"Wild Sheila has run well at Doomben over the 'mile" at her last two runs and should be suited going to the 2020m."