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It doesn’t carry Group status or huge prizemoney but Kris Lees would love it if Rogue Bear can salute in the Vale Mr Alan ‘Jock’ Gollogly Handicap (1800m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday in hat tip to his mate who passed away this week.
And he says 'Jock' would be "chuffed" to have a race named in his honour – in fact he'll have more than one with Newcastle also set to pay tribute at its Boxing Day meeting on Tuesday.
Kris Lees said he will be sorely missed around Newcastle – Gollogly was the clocker for the Sportsman newspaper for many years and worked for Lees Racing from 2020 - and by the racing industry as a whole and has been warmed by the response to his passing from lung cancer at just 72.
"I sat next to him three days a week for 20 odd years,'' Lees said.
"He was always the life of the party, he was very outgoing and would talk to anyone whether it was the boys mucking out the boxes or the top end of town.
"It's a great honour the ATC have bestowed upon him. Myself and Jamie Lovett were just talking about how chuffed he'd be to have a race named after him.
"And we heard he was trending on Twitter (X) - they are things that would rock his boat."
The leading Newcastle trainer only accepted with one runner at Randwick and it happened to be the race selected to be named after Gollogly.
Rogue Bear may not need any divine help to notch his second Australian win, though Lees wouldn't knock it back, with the trainer saying the platform is there for him to run well from the inside barrier.
The Australian Bloodstock import, who has secured some eligibility for the 2024 Big Dance and Little Dance via his Taree Cup second placing last month, backs up after finishing third behind Kapakiri over 2000m last Saturday and opened $11 with TAB.
He carried 60.5kg there so Lees has opted to use Ben Osmond's 3kg claim to help him out, and he said the slight distance drop to 1800m is in the six-year-old's favour.
"The quick back up, blinkers on, he could do something and the claim is vital for him as he's not a big horse,'' he said.
"He's probably got to find a length or two but he's capable of doing it. It was a nice run last week, he just might have levelled out a touch late with his big weight.
"We've only just started to try him over a bit further ground. He's around that level but I do think he's got more to give.
"It's the right time of year for him and with the right set up he could easily compete in a race like this."
Meanwhile, Luncies will represent Lees in Tuesday's Group 3 $250,000 Summer Cup (2000m) at Randwick after pleasing the trainer with a barrier trial win last week.
The grey has been freshened up since contesting the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on November 11 and Lees expects him to run well.
"The gap between runs and back to 2000m is an ideal set up,'' he said.
"He can trial a little bit sharp but he has shown up at a mile, narrowly beaten in a Scone Cup, and Cameron Handicap at 1500m so it wasn't a huge shock in a trial against that grade."
