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Century maker Hugh Bowman will be a new rider for luckless The Metropolitan runner Luncies at Royal Randwick on Saturday week.
Kris Lees this afternoon announced Bowman's booking for the import in the $500,000 ATC St Leger Stakes (2600m).
Under the set weights with penalties and allowances conditions of the St Leger, Luncies is expected to get 55.5kg.
It will be Bowman's first ride on Luncies , who has won five of his 12 starts and has now raced six times (including a Benchmark 78 Handicap, 1800m victory under 60kg at Hawkesbury's Saturday metropolitan meeting in May) for his new trainer.
Whilst Bowman rode into the history books by winning last Saturday's 2400m Metropolitan at Randwick on Montefilia , becoming only the fourth Australian jockey to ride 100 Group 1 winners, Lees' lightly-raced stayer didn't have a clear passage at a vital stage in the same race.
He finished eighth (beaten only three lengths), and RacingNSW stewards later reported: "Near the 200m, Luncies after being held up for clear running, made contact with Spirit Ridge when improving into a narrow run between that horse and Hush Writer."
"Luncies has come through The Metropolitan well, and the 2600m of the St Leger shouldn't be a problem," Lees said.
.Safado (Aaron Bullock) and Snowzone (apprentice Dylan Gibbons) will both contest tomorrow's $80,000 1200m Sprint at the Showcase Port Macquarie Cup meeting.
Lees also accepted with Safado in a Benchmark 80 Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday, but has decided to keep him at home for the Port Macquarie event.
"Snowzone has been racing in Queensland, and will come back to Newcastle after this race and most likely spell," Lees said.
"Safado has trialled twice, and won his latest over 1000m at Scone on September 15. Being on the fresh side, he is my preference of the pair."
. Whilst Safado is a Brisbane absentee, Lees will still have Fu Ni (Larry Cassidy) in the Listed Queensland Cup (2406m) at Eagle Farm.
Two withdrawals already have reduced the field to 11.
"I probably wouldn't have thought not so long back she would measure up as a chance in a Queensland Cup, but it has turned out to be a fairly average race," Lees said.
"Fu Ni is fit, has won at the track and drops from 59kg to 54kg on her latest close fourth at Ipswich. She could easily fill a placing."
