LEES’ DUAL ATTACK ON THE GONG

KRIS Lees has settled on a dual attack at Kembla Grange tomorrow as he attempts to break through in one of provincial racing’s Saturday stand-alone features.

The leading Newcastle trainer opted not to send Loch Eagle north for the Mooloolaba Cup (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast tomorrow, and he joins stablemate Tavi Time in the $1m Group 3 The Gong (1600m).

This will be the seventh running of Kembla Grange’s richest race at the metropolitan stand-alone meeting, and Lees has been placed once – with Loch Eagle, who was runner-up to Detonator Jack on a favored heavy track in 2023.

As well, he has had four placings – the latest Brudenell last Saturday – in seven runnings of his home track $1m Group 2 The Hunter (1300m).

Tommy Berry is a new rider for Tavi Time, and Jason Collett partners Loch Eagle.

“With some rain about I decided to keep Loch Eagle at home for The Gong,” Lees said this morning.

“He has won on both soft and heavy ground, but never got into the race when resuming in the Big Dance Wild Card at Royal Randwick last month.

“He has since had a nice tick-over trial at Wyong earlier this month.

“On the other hand, Tavi Time has won five races on soft ground and doesn’t want it any wetter than that.

“He was luckless when eighth in the Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on November 4, and if it gets to a soft track his wide barrier won’t be a disadvantage.

“He can get to the outside in the straight and wind up.

“Tavi Time drops from 57kg to 54kg, and is definitely the pick of my two runners.”

Lees has six representatives at The Gong meeting, including Brave Call (Berry) and Bestower (Tyler Schiller) in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (2000m).

He has made an important gear change on Brave Call, who will race in blinkers.

“I’m pretty confident they will suit him, and expect him to be hard to beat,” Lees said.

“Bestower finished strongly wide out when runner-up in the same 1800m race as Brave Call (fifth) at Rosehill Gardens on November 8, and knows Kembla Grange having been runner-up at all three starts on the track.”

Stable apprentice Ben Osmond will claim on Lord Of Biscay in the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1600m), lessening his weight to 58kg.

“Lord Of Biscay ran well when seventh in the Big Dance, and has a drop in grade,” Lees said.

“He can run well again, but doesn’t want it too wet however.”

Lees opens the batting with Hawker Hall (Collett) in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1000m).

The lightly-raced Russian Revolution four-year-old has won three of his seven starts, and begins a new campaign.

“Hawker Hall has had two nice trials to prepare him, and the track condition will determine his chances, having drawn the inside barrier,” Lees said.

“If it is okay near the fence early in the day, he can run well fresh.”

With Loch Eagle an absentee from the metropolitan meeting at the Sunshine Coast, Saxobushi is Lees’ only other acceptor.

However, he has drawn poorly in the 3YO Quality (1400m), and is likely to take on a Toowoomba assignment instead.

Story John Curtis, November 21, 2025