CUP WINNER TO CHASE FURTHER RICHES

SYDNEY Cup winner Changingoftheguard will chase further success with Melbourne and Brisbane features on the agenda.

Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees reports the gelding has come through his Group 1 3200m triumph at Royal Randwick a week ago in great order, and has decided to keep him in work.

“Changingoftheguard is a rising eight-year-old, and there are some nice staying races coming up in autumn and early winter,” Lees said today.

“There is the Listed Andrew Ramsden (2800m) at Flemington on May 16, and Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm a fortnight later.

“All going well, he could go on to the 3200m Group 2 Brisbane Cup, also at Eagle Farm, a fortnight after the Premier’s Cup.”

The $300,000 Andrew Ramsden – which Lees nearly won four years ago with the now retired Luncies – provides the winner with a “free ticket” into the $10m Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3.

Lees won the 2019 Brisbane Cup with Sixties Groove when the race was run at 2400m before reverting to its traditional 3200m distance in 2021.

Changingoftheguard, who finished in the “top 10” in last year’s Melbourne Cup, was having his fourth start this preparation when he led virtually throughout to defeat Soul Of Spain and Highland Bling in yesterday week’s $2m Sydney Cup.

It was his second Australian success since joining Lees’ stable, having also made the running when he defeated Travolta and Muktamil in the Listed City Tatts Cup (2400m) at Randwick last September.

Meanwhile, Lees’ former apprentice Dylan Gibbons, now riding successfully as a senior jockey in Sydney, will be reunited with Provincial-Midway Championships Final winner Lord Of Biscay at Tamworth on Friday.

Gibbons helped qualify last year’s second placegetter Lord Of Biscay for the $1m Final by defeating stablemate Imposant and last year’s winner Matcha Latte at Randwick yesterday week, in the Wild Card (1400m) at Newcastle on March 31, coincidentally also relegating Imposant to runner-up.

However, he had a Final commitment to Octa De Lago (ninth), on whom he had won the opening Qualifier at Hawkesbury on February 19.

Lord Of Biscay will contest the $200,000 Big Dance Eligibility Tamworth Cup (1400m) at the Showcase meeting.

Gibbons also partnered Lord Of Biscay when he ran seventh to Gringotts in the $3m Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick last November after his father Andrew had qualified him by winning the Ballina Cup (1590m) earlier in the year.

Stablemate Tavi Time showed he is on track for another successful preparation with his Randwick resumption yesterday.

After being fractious in the barriers and missing the jump, Tavi Time ($14) made good ground under his 59.5kg to finish seventh (beaten just over two lengths) in the Benchmark 100 Handicap (1400m).

Upcoming races such as the Hawkesbury Gold Cup (1600m) on Saturday week, and Scone Cup (1600m) on May 15 (which he won last year) are on his program.

. Fellow Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle was the sole provincial winner at Tuncurry yesterday.

Doyle’s three-year-old filly Dianella ($4.40), ridden by stable apprentice Shannen Llewellyn, broke through in the Maiden Handicap (1305m) at only her third start.

Dianella is a daughter of Bivouac, and was a $220,000 purchase at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale.

She defeated fellow Newcastle trainer Damien Smith’s four-year-old Don’t Share Shamus ($11), who was onsold for only $700 online in July last year after initially bringing $100,000 as a 2022 weanling.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, APRIL 19, 2026