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Lees aiming again for the last race with trio of runners

3 minute read

Kris Lees won the Royal Randwick closer last weekend with Triple Ace – and he’s hoping to repeat the feat in the last race at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Whereas ultra-consistent Triple Ace  (six wins and as many placings from a dozen starts) was his sole representative in the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1100m), this time he will have a trio of runners in the same grade but over 1400m.

TRIPLE ACE winning the Heineken (Bm88)
TRIPLE ACE winning the Heineken (Bm88) Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

All imports and racing under the Australian Bloodstock banner, they will be his only starters on the 10-race program.

Lees will saddle Cristal Breeze (Sam Clipperton), Ventura Ocean  (Jason Collett) and Grande Rumore  (Andrew Adkins), and has a preference for the latter.

"I would have to favour Grande Rumore because of her inside draw, whereas the other two aren't as well drawn," he said this afternoon.

CRISTAL BREEZE winning the Polytrack Prov Champs Final
CRISTAL BREEZE winning the Polytrack Prov Champs Final Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

"She made up good ground at Randwick over 1200m three weeks ago, and the extra 200m suits.

"Admittedly, Grande Rumore now goes from a Benchmark 78 to an 88, but she drops 4.5kg as a result.

"Ventura Ocean is going better than his form might suggest, and he isn't to be dismissed.

"Cristal Breeze 's first-up run was inconclusive, and I want to see him race again to know where we are at with him."

All three imports are already winners in Australia, and in fact were first-up victors in their adopted country.

Cristal Breeze has won three here (including a Canterbury 1200m victory on heavy ground in June last year and the Provincial Championships Final, 1400m at Randwick in April), whilst Ventura Ocean won his first two starts (both at Eagle Farm earlier this year) and resumed when seventh to Count De Rupee in a 1200m Benchmark 88 at the Rosehill meeting at Kembla Grange on September 11.

Grande Rumore beat her own sex over 1200m at Canterbury in April before a luckless third over 1300m at Hawkesbury's Saturday stand-alone meeting on May 1.

At her only start since, she came from 13th at the 400m when beaten only one and half lengths behind Geist in a 1200m Benchmark 78 at Randwick on September 4.

Lees has made gear changes on Cristal Breeze and Grande Rumore. The former has both a cross over nose band and tongue tie off, whilst a cross over nose band goes on Grande Rumore.

. The Darling Downs city of Toowoomba hosts the metropolitan meeting on Saturday, and Lees will have four runners, including $1m plus earner Tactical Advantage (Andrew Mallyon) in the Listed Weetwood Handicap (1200m).

The eight-year-old has won 11 of his 46 starts, but hasn't been successful since landing the Listed Hawkesbury Rush (1100m) at Rosehill on Anzac Day last year.

He finished sixth to You Make Me Smile in a Doomben Quality (1110m) on September 11, and now meets that horse 2.5kg better.

"He is obviously getting closer to retirement, and I want to see him hit the line on Saturday," Lees said.

Mallyon also rides Frozen In Time in the Benchmark 75 Handicap (1200m), and apprentice Jaden Lloyd partners both Predictable Miss (Class 6 Handicap, 1625m) and Snowzone (Benchmark 80 Handicap, 1300m).

"Frozen In Time is racing well and definitely has a chance from a soft draw," Lees said.

"Predictable Miss has been placed at her last three Queensland starts (two of them in Saturday class in Brisbane), and can run well again with a light weight.

"Snowzone prefers wet ground, but ran well in the stronger Listed Goldmarket (1200m) at the Gold Coast late last month on a good surface.

"If he can have some luck from an awkward draw, he could easily figure in the finish."

. Lees intends to accept with Newcastle Cup fourth Luncies in Saturday week's Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick, but isn't confident he will get a start.

"He ran well at Newcastle because the Cup wasn't truly run and he got well back," he said.

"We're proceeding toward The Metropolitan, but it's doubtful he will make the field."

As a precaution, Lees has paid up for Luncies as a second acceptor for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 16, where he is also currently well down the order of entry list.


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