LEES’ MELBOURNE CUP HOPE TO TAKE ON “ROYALTY”

ONLY wet weather will prevent Changingoftheguard from taking on “royalty” in tomorrow’s Geelong Cup.

Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has booked Melbourne jockey Ethan Brown for the import in the $500,000 Group 3 Cup (2400m), where the winner automatically gains a “free ticket” into the first ever $10m Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4.

Seven of the 10 acceptors at Geelong – where Changingoftheguard takes on King Charles IIII representative Gilded Water – remain in the famous “two miler”.

Whereas Changingoftheguard ($8 this morning with TAB.com.au) is currently in the 24-horse capacity field for the Cup in the latest order of entry, Gilded Water ($2.30 favorite) needs to win to make the line-up.

“At this stage Changingoftheguard is running at Geelong,” Lees said this morning.

“But rain is forecast, so we’ll keep an eye on that.

“Friday night’s $750,000 Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) is a fallback option (where, with 56kg, he is one of 14 acceptors) if we miss the Geelong Cup.”

Brown was aboard Changingoftheguard when he struck the heels of Travolta (subsequent winner of the ATC St Leger Stakes last Saturday) and blundered badly passing the 400m in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Royal Randwick on October 4.

Brown eased him out of the race, and thankfully the gelding escaped injury.

“It’s impossible to say if Changingoftheguard would have won, but he was going well at the time of the incident,” Lees said.

“He has done well in Melbourne, and is ready to run well en route to the Melbourne Cup.”

Changingoftheguard is topweight with 60kg at Geelong, 7kg more than at Flemington.

However, the Geelong Cup winner is eligible for a Melbourne Cup penalty.

Stablemate Cleveland on Friday night will return to the scene of his Moonee Valley Gold Cup success two years ago.

Unfortunately he was a race eve withdrawal from the Melbourne Cup because of an elevated temperature.

The now eight-year-old hasn’t won since, but has had only eight starts in the ensuing period.

Cleveland drew barrier five in a field of 14 at The Valley, and Changingoftheguard drew seven.

Cleveland remains in the Melbourne Cup with 51kg, but needs to win at Moonee Valley to secure a start.

Adelaide River, who pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia after last Saturday’s Caulfield Cup, is out of the Melbourne Cup.

Meanwhile, Lees has again called on Nash Rawiller to ride Rivellino at Randwick on Saturday.

This year’s Inglis Millennium winner as a two-year-old returned to his Newcastle stable after finishing eighth to Autumn Boy in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 11.

Before heading south, Rivellino had Rawiller aboard when he finished sixth to Beiwacht in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 27.

Lees nominated the colt for both the $2m Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and $1m Group 2 Callander-Presnell (1600m) at Randwick, and has opted to keep him at the shorter distance.

Rivellino has 57kg under the set weights conditions of the Callander-Presnell, where 14 three-year-olds were nominated.

Story John Curtis, October 21, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos