THE country has won out over the city as Kris Lees chases a third Coffs Harbour Cup on Friday.
Lees has decided to run Yankee Hussel (Dylan Gibbons) in the $150,000 Big Dance Eligibility Cup (1600m) rather than a 1500m Handicap at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Yankee Hussel drew favorably at Rosehill and not so well at Coffs Harbour, but resumes on the back of two recent trial victories.
The five-year-old mare, who won three races in a row last preparation at 2100m, 1900m and 2400m (the latter two in Sydney), beat six rivals in a 1000m Beaumont trial on June 28 and then four rivals at Scone over 1150m on July 17.
“It’s not surprising that Yankee Hussel has trialled well as she can go a bit keen,” Lees said on Thursday morning.
“She has never won first-up in four previous campaigns, but I’m happy with her and the Cup is worth having a crack at with her minimum weight (54kg).”
Lees first won the Coffs Harbour Cup with another mare Itz Lily (Alysha Collett) in 2021, and then with Hosier (Hugh Bowman) the following year.
Acquitted was his representative last year and finished down the track, but he had come to the end of his preparation and pulled up with cardiac arrythmia and was spelled.
Lees had initially planned to resume Almania in the Coffs Harbour Cup, but decided to wait another couple of weeks with the gelding before beginning another campaign with him.
He also runs Prime Impact (Gibbons) and Classic Deel (Andrew Mallyon) in the Ken Howard Cup (2000m), and Oakfield Duke (Mallyon) in the Daniel Baker Sprint (1200m) at the Showcase meeting.
With Yankee Hussel an absentee from Rosehill, Lees will still have five representatives at the first metropolitan meeting of the new season.
He runs Imposant (Benchmark 72 Handicap, 1500m), Hellavadancer (Benchmark 78 Handicap, 1400m), Fulfilled and Blackcomb (Benchmark 78 Handicap, 2000m), and Memoria (Benchmark 78 Handicap, 1100m).
Jason Collett rides Imposant, Dylan Gibbons is on Fulfilled, Tommy Berry partners Blackcomb, and stable apprentice Ben Osmond has the mounts on Hellavadancer and Memoria.
Whilst he will use his full 3kg claim on Hellavadancer, he will be able to claim only 2.5kg on Memoria.
“Imposant and Hellavadancer were both luckless at their latest runs; the former at Rosehill a fortnight ago (apprentice Zac Lloyd was later suspended for causing interference to her) and Hellavadancer when runner-up at Randwick on July 13,” Lees said.
“They get their chances to return to the winning list.
“Fulfilled can race well even though he has had a gap between runs. He is going better than his form suggests.
“Blackcomb is on the seven-day back-up after finishing fourth at Randwick last Saturday, and this will be her last run before heading off to stud.
“Memoria is drawn awkwardly, but the three scratchings to date helps.
“She ran well first-up when third at Randwick on July 13 and will be hard to beat if she can get across (the rail is out 7m for the entire circumference).”
. Brudenell (Andrew Mallyon) is Lees’ sole runner at Doomben on Saturday, with 60.5kg topweight in the Open Handicap (1050m).
The consistent five-year-old, who has won nine of his 19 starts, resumed when fifth to Nettuno in an Open Plate (1000m) at the Sunshine Coast on July 14 on a ‘Heavy 9’ rating.
“It was a pretty testing track that day, and he was less than two lengths from the winner,” Lees said.
“Brudenell is better on good and soft ground, and has been given time to get over that race.
“Whilst Saturday’s race is a handicap and not set weights as it was at the Sunshine Coast, he still isn’t badly off with the 60.5kg and has drawn an inside gate.”
. Newcastle hosts the Saturday provincial meeting, with the first of eight races scheduled for 12.25pm.
The rail is out 10m for the entire circumference, and a ‘Soft 6’ rating was posted on Thursday morning.
Story John Curtis, August 1, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
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