LEES’ HOME TRACK “FIRST TIMERS” VALUE CHANCES IN THE HUNTER

BRUDENELL

BETWEEN them the two stablemates have raced 56 times and remarkably never started on their home track at Broadmeadow.

What better time to belatedly make their Newcastle debuts to give leading local trainer Kris Lees the chance for a breakthrough in the seventh running of the $1m The Hunter (1300m) tomorrow?

And though both Brudenell (Tim Clark) and Infancy (Dylan Gibbons) are outsiders in the Group 2 feature, Lees considers them both value chances.

Brudenell has faced the starter 32 times for 10 wins and seven placings, whilst Infancy has raced on 22 occasions for four wins and as many placings.

Lees ran second with Tactical Advantage ($7) to Savatiano in the inaugural 2019 running of The Hunter, and subsequently also finished second with both Special Reward ($13) to Sweet Deal the following year, and again was runner-up a year later with Wandabaa ($41) to Lost And Running.

“Brudenell and Infancy’s racing patterns are totally different,” Lees said this morning.

“Brudenell ran third in the Luskin Star Stakes at 1300m at the Scone carnival in May, and is going to get every chance to run the distance tomorrow from the inside barrier.

“His two runs back have been good, and he was beaten less than a length last time when fifth in the Benchmark 100 Handicap (1100m) at Randwick on November 4, and drops 3kg to 56kg.

“Infancy has drawn poorly, but gets back in her races in any case.

“She didn’t have the best of luck at Flemington when sixth in the Group 3 Begonia Belle Stakes (1100m) against her sex.

“Infancy drops from 58kg to 53kg, and her chances tomorrow are pace dependent.

“Provided they run along at a good tempo, she has the ability to swoop late.”

Whilst The Hunter pair haven’t raced at home, neither has Lees’ UK import Age Of Sail (Alysha Collett), who lines up in the Listed The Beauford (2300m).

“Forget he went around in the Bendigo Cup (2400m) last time,” Lees said.

“He was posted three deep, and his rider looked after him when it was apparent he wasn’t going to figure in the finish.

“Age Of Sail travelled home well, and his previous win in the Port Macquarie Cup (2000m) was a good pointer to his chances here with the limit weight (53kg).”

Lees won the Max Lees Classic (900m), named in honour of his legendary late father, last year with the now retired but then debutante Gobi Desert, and saddles another two unraced youngsters Farhah (Kerrin McEvoy) and Pomelo Chamomile (Tim Clark) tomorrow.

“They’re both nice fillies who have trialled well,” Lees said.

“It’s hard to line up our trial form with city trial form and not one of two-year-olds in the race have started.

“Nonetheless Farhah (by Farnan) and Pomelo Chamomile (by Maurice) can both run well.”

Lees has dual representatives in both the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600m) – Éclair Encore (Dylan Gibbons) and Oakfield Wallaby (Tommy Berry) – and Benchmark 88 Handicap (1850m) – Kind Words (Tim Clark) and Barazin (Tyler Schiller).

“Éclair Encore has been good at her two runs back, and the 1600m is ideal,” Lees said.

“Oakfield Wallaby also ran well when second first-up at Scone but stays at 1600m and is probably looking for a bit further.

“We bypassed the Five Diamonds at Rosehill Gardens last Saturday with Kind Words as tomorrow’s race looked a better option.

“She has been placed at both runs back and getting back on top of the ground suits.

“Barazin never got into the race in the Little Dance (1600m) last time at Randwick, but his previous form was good.

“He needs to step and hold a position to make his presence felt.”

Lees’ other Newcastle runner is Miss Busslinger (Dylan Gibbons) in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m) against her own sex.

“I was pleased with Miss Busslinger’s first-up run at Rosehill, and she has taken nice improvement from that,” he said.

“She has won second up, and this looks a nice race for her.”

Cantiamo (Harry Coffey) will conclude Lees’ Melbourne spring campaign at Caulfield tomorrow in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) for three-year-old fillies.

Unfortunately, she has drawn the outside barrier in a capacity field.

“That’s going to make it tough, but it’s a $1m race and worth having a crack at,” Lees said.

“Cantiamo’s chances would improve considerably with some rain.”

The lightly-raced Too Darn Hot filly has won two of her four starts, and resumed when sixth to the talented Point Barrow in the Group 3 Red Roses (1100m) at Flemington on November 6.

OTHER provincial representatives in the main races at Newcastle are:

MAX LEES CLASSIC: Final Gift (Mark Cross, Wyong), Tenenbaum (Bred Widdup, Hawkesbury), Yamashita (Mitch Beer & George Carpenter, Kembla Grange);

THE HUNTER: Phearson (Brad Widdup);

GROUP 3 SPRING STAKES: Probability Theory (Nacim Dilmi, Wyong);

THE BEAUFORD: Mr Fabulous (Theresa Bateup, Kembla Grange).

STORY JOHN CURTIS, NOVEMBER 14, 2025 - PIC BRADLEY PHOTOS