KRIS Lees is confident Age Of Sail can break a run of minor placings at Royal Randwick on Saturday and put himself firmly on a Newcastle Gold Cup path.
Placed at all three starts this preparation – all excellent runs and luckless at his latest - Age Of Sail lines up in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (2400m), with Nash Rawiller again on board.
The English import hasn’t missed a place in five starts for the leading Newcastle trainer, winning first-up over 1600m at Warwick Farm in January.
The now six-year-old son of Frankel undoubtedly should have been back in the winning list when a fast closing second to Kapakiri, after being unable to secure clear running until too late, in a Benchmark 78 Handicap over Saturday’s distance at Rosehill Gardens on July 20.
“Age Of Sail has done really well since that race, and he gets his chance tomorrow to break through again,” Lees said on Friday.
“I’m sure getting back to the big stretches at Randwick will suit him.”
Lees is keen to chase another victory in the $300,000 Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) at Broadmeadow on September 20 – which he first won with another import Mugatoo in 2020 – with Age Of Sail, and that plan will become clearer after how the gelding performs on Saturday.
Lees has four Randwick representatives, and is looking forward to the Australian debut of former Irish stayer Changingoftheguard (James McDonald) in the Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m).
Fifth in Desert Crown’s Epsom Derby (2420m) in June, 2022 and then a Royal Ascot Group 2 winner over 2406m 13 days later, the Galileo six-year-old hasn’t raced since finishing third in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes (2414m) at Royal Ascot in June last year.
“Changingoftheguard was gelded before he came to us, and we’ve had him for a couple of months,” Lees said.
“Saturday’s race will be too short for him, but it wis a nice starting point.
“All going well, we hope to get him to the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington in early November.”
Lees also runs Loch Eagle (Group 2 Missile Stakes, 1200m) and Cloudland (Benchmark 78 Handicap, 1200m) – and Dylan Gibbons will ride both.
“Loch Eagle is well enough placed under the set weights criteria rather than resuming in a handicap where he would get more than his 57.5kg,” Lees said.
“He is going nicely at home and can sprint well fresh.
“Cloudland also is resuming and has an excellent first-up record (three wins and two placings from five starts) and is going well.
“He has had two nice trials (winning the latest over 920m on the course proper at home on July 18), and I expect him to be very competitive.”
. Lees has three runners at the metropolitan meeting at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, with Rogue Bear and Zaphod his best two chances.
Andrew Mallyon rides Rogue Bear (Benchmark 90 Handicap, 2200m) and Zaphod (Class 3 Plate, 1800m), and also Kordia in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600m).
“Rogue Bear was good in winning decisively over 2020m at Doomben a fortnight ago,” Lees said.
“He goes up 2.5kg to 58kg, but will be hard to beat again if he can maintain that form.”
“Zaphod was ridden forward and left exposed a bit too early when fifth at Eagle Farm last time after an impressive first-up Scone win on a heavy track.
“He has trained on well at the Gold Coast, comes down 1.5kg and we’ll ride him more patiently.
“Kordia has had three runs for us since coming from the south and was fifth in the Maclean Cup (1400m) at Grafton on July 21.
“He needs to lift to figure in the finish.”
Story John Curtis, August 9, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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