LEES CHASING ANOTHER WYONG CUP UPSET

IT’S 10 years since Kris Lees sprung a Wyong Cup upset with outsider Slow Pace.

A decade on the leading Newcastle trainer is hoping to do the same tomorrow, this time with another import Age Of Sail.

Dylan Gibbons will ride the former UK gelding, who despite being placed in the 3200m Auckland Cup earlier this year, is one of the outsiders at $41 with TAB.com.au.

Nonetheless, Lees is giving Age Of Sail a knockout chance in the $250,000 Listed feature to be run over 2100m.

“He has worked really well since his first run back,” Lees said today.

“I’m really happy with how Age Of Sail is going at home, and definitely give him a chance.

“He will go on to the Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) in a fortnight.”

Lees says the one downside to the gelding’s prospects is the tight Wyong circuit.

“He has raced there four times, and been placed only once (third in last year’s Cup Prelude before finishing seventh to Saltcoats in the Cup).”

Former French gelding Slow Pace was unplaced in both the Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) and Taree Cup (2000m) before, with Robert Thompson aboard, revelling in the heavy ground to beat subsequent Newcastle Cup winner Sacred Master in 2016.

Age Of Sail at his first run back also was unplaced in the Premier’s Cup Prelude (1800m) at Rosehill on August 8, in which Wyong Cup rivals Eliyass and Matusalem finished first and second.

Only seven horses will face the starter in the Cup, with local Charleroi already out and dual venue acceptor Mr Fabulous confirmed to line up at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Lees also has debutante Too Expensive ready to kick off in the Super Maiden Handicap (1200m), with Nash Rawiller expected to ride him 1kg over at 57.5kg.

The Frankel three-year-old fetched $375,000 as a 2025 Inglis Australian Easter yearling, and trialled twice last month in preparation for his return.

“I’m expecting he will be running on tomorrow, and will take improvement from the race,” Lees said.

Tasoraay (Adam Hyeronimus) and first emergency Night Agent (James McDonald) both will resume, provided the latter makes the field, in Saturday’s Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m) at Randwick.

“Tasoraay has trialled well, and is coming up nicely,” Lees said.

“Night Agent is very promising, and his two trials at the Beaumont track and Gosford have been good.

“Even though he has drawn poorly, I’m looking to run him if he gets a start.”

Little Beginnings (Daniel Moor) will be Lees’ sole runner at Saturday’s Eagle Farm meeting.

He bypassed Doomben last Saturday because of a wide draw to contest the Class 6 Handicap (1400m).

Little Beginnings has drawn the outside in a field of seven, but has the pace to overcome this.

“The small field will suit him, and he can run well,” Lees said. STORY BY JOHN CURTIS, SEPTEMBER 3, 2026. PIC BRADLEY PHOTOS.