HEAVY 8 LIMIT FOR “LORD’S” KEMBLA GRANGE MISSION

KRIS Lees has placed a ‘Heavy 8’ limit on Lord Of Biscay chasing a second Provincial-Midway Championships Final berth, at Kembla Grange tomorrow.

Runner-up to Wyong’s Matcha Latte in last year’s $1m Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick, Lord Of Biscay (who races in a tongue tie for the first time) can clinch a rematch by either winning or running second in the fifth Qualifier (1400m).

“If it is no worse than the current Heavy 8 rating, he will run,” the leading Newcastle trainer said this morning.

“Otherwise Lord Of Biscay will go to either the Wyong heat (1350m) next Saturday or the Wild Card (1400m) at home three days later.”

Lord Of Biscay ran an excellent first-up third to Buffalo in the second Qualifier (1400m) at Newcastle on February 28, beaten just over a length after jumping from the near outside barrier and finishing off strongly.

Having contested a Qualifier, he is eligible to contest the Wild Card if Lees chooses to bypass Kembla Grange tomorrow and Wyong next week.

Lees is mindful that Lord Of Biscay wasn’t at home on a deteriorating heavy track when last of nine in a Benchmark 88 Handicap (1600m) at Kembla Grange’s feature The Gong meeting on November 22 when a $3.80 second favorite.

Lees also accepted with last year’s Final third placegetter Imposant, and Andrew Gibbons will ride one or the other.

“Imposant won this Kembla Grange Qualifier last year on a ‘Good 4’ track, but has won on soft ground and been placed a couple of times on the heavy,” he said.

“Whilst she has drawn the outside, it might not be such a disadvantage given the conditions.”

Lees also accepted with Night Agent (Lee Magorrian) in the Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1400m), but has been withdrawn, and is in a Benchmark 58 Handicap (1350m) at Monday’s Beaumont meeting, with Tom Sherry to ride.

Night Agent at only his third start took on the $1m Inglis Sprint (1200m) at Flemington on February 28 against his own age, and ran well to be beaten just under four lengths from his outside barrier on the straight course.

Lees takes Changingoftheguard (Group 3 Manion Cup, 2400m), Kind Words (Group 3 Epona Stakes, 1900m), and Infancy (Group 1 The Galaxy, 1100m) to tomorrow’s Golden Slipper meeting at Rosehill Gardens.

Jason Collett rides Changingoftheguard, Tom Sherry partners Kind Words, and Alysha Collett has the mount on Infancy.

“Changingoftheguard is coming up nicely on a Sydney Cup (3200m) path,” Lees said.

“His first-up sixth in the 1900m Parramatta Cup at Rosehill on February 21 was very pleasing, and he has done plenty of work at home.

“Getting to 2400m is more suitable, and he will go to the Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Randwick on April 4 as his final lead-up to the Cup (3200m) there a week later.

“Kind Words’ latest ninth in the Group 3 Aspiration Quality (1600m) at Randwick a fortnight ago was a hidden run.

“She didn’t have much luck, and handles heavy ground if there is more rain (Rosehill was rated a Soft 6 on Friday morning).

“Infancy drew poorly in both The Galaxy and Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) against her own sex, and it was going to be difficult to win either.

“I preferred The Galaxy with 51kg rather than 58kg in the Birthday Card.

“Whilst she hasn’t won from three starts at Rosehill, the wet ground might give her a chance of coming from behind.

“She will go three weeks to the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m) against her own sex at Randwick, which she won last year when resuming.”

Lees has both True To Form (Kyle Wilson-Taylor) and Dream Hour (apprentice Ben Osmond) in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm tomorrow, but the latter is likely to instead run in a 1400m Open Handicap at the Gold Coast.

French import True To Form scored at double figure odds at his first run for his new trainer in a Benchmark 72 Handicap (1250m) at the Canterbury night meeting on February 20, overpowering the shorter-priced stablemate Calga Power.

“Whilst I expected Calga Power to win, True To Form’s victory wasn’t a total surprise,” Lees said.

“He had a good grounding, including three trials, for the race, and has trained on well since.

“The 1400m on the bigger track tomorrow looks really suitable.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MARCH 20, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS