KRIS Lees has heeded the advice of Group 1 century maker James McDonald to make an important Big Dance gear change on Tavi Time.
Lees has opted for winkers on the gelding in the $3m Listed 1600m feature at Royal Randwick on Tuesday as he seeks to win the race for a second time.
“James suggested putting winkers on Tavi Time after he won a Benchmark 88 Handicap (1600m) on him at Warwick Farm on October 16,” he explained on Monday morning.
“I’ve always had thoughts of putting some head gear on him, and he has been quite receptive to the winkers in his work at home since the Warwick Farm race.”
Chad Schofield will ride Tavi Time, who has a 50 per cent win record (seven wins from 14 starts).
Lees won the inaugural Big Dance in 2022 with Rustic Steel, and didn’t have a runner last year.
He has specifically set Tavi Time for the 2024 renewal, having won the Mudgee Cup (1600m) with him last December.
“The Mudgee Cup carried Big Dance eligibility, and it presented at the right time,” Lees said.
“Winning there enabled us to properly plan having him at his peak for this race.
“Tavi Time was third-up when he won the Mudgee Cup, and again will be having his third start this preparation.
“Everything has gone well; I couldn’t be happier with him.”
Lees has returned from the Melbourne Cup carnival to saddle Tavi Time for the Big Dance, but still has a representative at Flemington on Tuesday. Cloudland (McDonald) represents the stable in the Subzero Handicap (1400m) for grey horses.
With stablemate and third emergency Mayfair Spirit doubtful to gain a start in the Big Dance, he will line up in the $750,000 Little Dance (1600m) along with Loch Eagle and Rogue Bear.
Nash Rawiller rides Loch Eagle, Dylan Gibbons is on Rogue Bear, and Serg Lisnyy partners Mayfair Spirit.
“Blinkers go back on Rogue Bear and for the first time on Mayfair Spirit to hopefully help them,” Lees said.
“Loch Eagle has been freshened since finishing down the course in the Group 1 Epsom (1600m) at Randwick early last month, and had a tick-over 940m trial at home which he won on October 22.
“He won a Benchmark 88 Handicap (1500m) at this meeting 12 months ago, and then won the Group 2 The Ingham over 1600m at the same track in December.”
Cloudland was a dominant $2.25 favorite with TAB.com.au on Monday morning for the Subzero at Flemington – a quote which rather surprised his trainer.
“It must be the McDonald booking,” Lees said. “Obviously I’m hoping he will run well, but would be better with the sting out of the ground, and the forecast for Melbourne suggests that is unlikely.”
Infancy finished fifth in the Furphy Sprint (1100m) against her own sex at Flemington last Saturday, with her trainer saying there was not enough pace in the race to enable her to get going earlier, even though she finished off late.
“She will stay in Melbourne for the Group 3 How Now Stakes (1200m) for mares four-year-old and upwards at Caulfield on Saturday week,” Lees said.
Last start Kembla Grange winner Kind Words heads south for the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) – which Lees won with Lucia Valentina in 2015 – at Flemington on Saturday, and Tavi Time’s rider Chad Schofield has been booked.
. As well as Lees’ Tavi Time, there are four other provincial runners in the Big Dance.
Newcastle’s Paul Perry and Nathan Doyle have Sky Lab (Ash Morgan) and Overriding (Jay Ford), and Ciaron Maher’s Newcastle stable has Detonator Jack (Jason Collett).
Last year’s successful Big Dance trainer, Wyong’s Sara Ryan, has Bathurst Cup winner Money From The Sky (Reece Jones).
Story John Curtis, November 4, 2024
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