THE Metropolitan topweight Kalapour may bypass Saturday’s Group 1 feature and instead head to Melbourne.
Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees intends conferring with the gelding’s owners before making a final decision.
Kalapour, who won the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens in March, is topweight with 57kg for the $750,000 Group 1 Metropolitan (2400m), and drew the outside barrier in a capacity field of 18.
“I’ll discuss our options with Kalapour’s owners today,” Lees said on Friday morning.
“If he doesn’t run in The Metropolitan, he will go to Melbourne and run in the Might And Power Stakes at Caulfield next Saturday.”
Previously known as the Caulfield Stakes, the $1m Group 1 Might And Power (2000m) is run at weight-for-age and would be Kalapour’s lead-up to the $5m Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) a week later.
Kalapour has 55kg under the handicap conditions of the Cup, and cannot be penalised should he win the Might And Power (the Tancred also was a weight-for-age contest).
If Kalapour is a Metropolitan absentee, Lees will rely on Cleveland (Dylan Gibbons), hoping to replicate his 2004 victory with County Tyrone.
“I’ve taken blinkers and a cross-over nose band off Cleveland, and tried a few different things to get him back into form,” Lees said.
“He has been to the Equestrian Centre at Broke to do lots of long, slow work.
“I’m happy with how Cleveland is going at home, but still he has to be taken on trust.”
Cleveland won last year’s Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) and was a race eve withdrawal from the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington with an elevated temperature, and hasn’t fired in three runs (two of them at the Brisbane winter carnival) this year.
Lees has found an omen for roughie Loch Eagle’s bid to win the $1.5m Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m).
“He drew the same barrier (18) when he won the $2m The Ingham over the Epsom course at Randwick last December,” he said.
Jay Ford will ride Loch Eagle, who ran eighth to Victorian visitor Here To Shock in the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1500m) at Newcastle on September 20 at his latest assignment.
With three withdrawals (including hotpot Autumn Glow) from the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m), Miss Busslinger (Dylan Gibbons) now has to face only five rivals.
“With such a small field, I don’t know if there will be much pace, but we’ll just ride our own race,” Lees said.
“Miss Busslinger has had experience over the Randwick ‘mile’, finishing fifth to Broadsiding in the Fernhill Handicap in April.
“She ran well there, but her previous run when fourth to Linebacker in the 1400m Group 3 Baillieu (Broadsiding ran third and was just ahead of her) at Rosehill was even better.”
Lees has withdrawn Inver Park (wide barrier) and Bubba’s Bay (gone to Queensland) from the Benchmark 94 Handicap (1200m), and will rely on Infancy (Dylan Gibbons).
“Infancy has drawn poorly, but will appreciate a solid tempo,” he said.
“She races well at Randwick, and is not without a chance.”
Lees has two acceptors at the corresponding Doomben meeting, but Bubba’s Bay may be his sole representative.
Apprentice Cody Collis will claim 3kg and reduce Bubba’s Bay’s weight to 58kg in the Benchmark 85 Handicap (1200m).
“Five of the mare’s seven wins have been in Brisbane, and two of them were at Doomben,” Lees said.
“She should get every chance from the inside barrier.
“Classic Deel has drawn awkwardly in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (2200m), and I’m not sure I will run her.”
Story John Curtis, October 4, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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