LEES FINALISES LAST DITCH PLANS FOR PMC QUALIFIERS

KRIS Lees has sorted out his representatives in the last two Qualifiers as he seeks to bolster his Provincial-Midway Championships Final hand.

The most successful with five Final victories since the annual series was inaugurated in 2015, the leading Newcastle trainer to date has only one qualifier (Miss Busslinger) to contest the $1m Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 11.

But he is making a late bid to strengthen his 2026 representation by starting Tasoraay in tomorrow’s sixth Qualifier (1350m) at Wyong, and Lord Of Biscay and Imposant in Tuesday’s Wild Card (1350m) at home.

Ten horses already have made the Final, and will be joined by the first two Wyong placegetters and the three Wild Card placegetters.

Lord Of Biscay and Imposant ran second and third behind Matcha Latte in last year’s Final.

Lees accepted with Tasoraay, Lord Of Biscay and Imposant for the Wyong heat, but has decided to start only the former, with Keagan Latham to ride.

“Dylan Gibbons will ride Lord Of Biscay and Tyler Schiller has been booked for Imposant in the Wild Card,” Lees said this morning.

Tasoraay has had one shot at qualifying, finishing ninth first-up to Buffalo in a strong Newcastle heat on February 28.

He has since had a tick-over 1000m trial at the Beaumont track on March 17.

Lord Of Biscay hasn’t raced since an excellent first-up third to Buffalo in that February 28 Qualifier, whilst Imposant ran fourth to Octa De Lago in the opening Qualifier (1400m) at Hawkesbury on February 19 before finishing fifth to Tuileries in the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes (1400m) on March 6.

Lees’ pair will be opposed by the promising Banjora (Zac Lloyd) in Tuesday’s Wild Card.

Banjora suffered his first defeat at his fourth start when third to Mogul Monarch in the Gosford Qualifier (1200m) on March 14 after being slowly away and then could not be fully tested when unable to secure clear running at a vital stage in the straight.

Connections considered protesting against runner-up Harry’s Bar, but decided against it.

The Tuesday meeting enables Lloyd to ride Banjora again, having been successful on him at his first three starts.

Lees has sent Miss Busslinger to today’s Muswellbrook Gold Cup meeting to contest the Wayne Harris Handicap (1280m) in her lead-up to the Final.

It’s a similar plan he used successfully with 2016 Final winner Danish Twist, who ran third in the Easter Sprint (1280m) at Muswellbrook before defeating stablemate Powerline at Randwick.

Tom Sherry, who rode a treble for Lees at the Beaumont track last Monday, partners Miss Busslinger and also Zaphod in the Big Dance Eligibility Muswellbrook Cup (1500m).

Zaphod is both resuming and chasing a hat-trick after two Queensland wins in mid-summer, and has an excellent fresh record.

Lees’ sole runner at Rosehill Gardens tomorrow is Cloudland in the Benchmark 88 Handicap (1400m).

Stable apprentice Will Stanley’s 3kg city claim will reduce the grey’s weight to 58kg.

Lees is at a loss to fathom Cloudland’s out of character first-up flop at Randwick over 1200m on February 28, especially given his previous outstanding record when fresh.

“I can’t explain what happened that day, but he has since trialled well at home and will appreciate the soft ground tomorrow,” he said.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MARCH 27, 2026

.