LEES ON GUARD FOR ANOTHER METROP SUCCESS

CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD is in great order as Kris Lees chases another The Metropolitan triumph 21 years apart at Royal Randwick tomorrow.

Having won the Group 1 in 2004 with now 27-year-old warhorse County Tyrone, the leading Newcastle trainer is relying on the import for the $750,000 2400m feature.

He also accepted with fellow import Adelaide River, but chose to send him to Melbourne for tomorrow’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington when he drew poorly at Randwick.

“Kris has been really pleased with Changingoftheguard since he won City Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m) at Randwick a month ago,” stable spokesman Danny Greer said this morning.

“He carried 59kg then and drops 4.5kg.

“Changingoftheguard will roll forward and take up a prominent spot, and we’re expecting him to race well.

“Kris is keen to run him in the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4, and he will have another start after tomorrow leading into that race.”

Melbourne jockey Ethan Brown takes The Metropolitan ride on Changingoftheguard, who was a solid $9 chance this morning with TAB.com.au in a $4.80 the field market, headed by Newcastle Gold Cup winner Soul Of Spain.

Lees nearly won The Metropolitan five years ago with Mugatoo, who was nosed out by Mirage Dancer.

Brown also partners Cloudland for Lees in the Benchmark 94 Handicap (1200m).

“Cloudland needs to overcome a bad draw, but has a much more versatile racing pattern as he has got older,” Greer said.

“He drew poorly first-up in July when Josh Parr rode him off the pace at Rosehill Gardens, and he finished strongly to win over 1200m.

“Cloudland has won two from three this campaign, and his trial victory at home last week was impressive.”

Having sent Adelaide River to Melbourne, Lees will be guided by the gelding’s performance in the Turnbull as to his future spring pathway.

“Obviously it’s a very strong race at set weights plus penalties (which Lees won with Lucia Valentina in 2014), and we’ll know where we are at with him,” Greer said.

“Adelaide River was terrific going under narrowly to Birdman in the Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick last start, and dug deep when the winner got past him.

“He is in both the Caulfield (2400m) and Melbourne Cups.”

Whilst Adelaide River has gone south, stable apprentice Ben Osmond is heading north to ride a number of Lees’ runners at Doomben tomorrow.

He will partner Barazin (Benchmark 78 Handicap, 2200m), Imposant (F&M NMW Handicap, 1350m), and Brave Call (Class 3 Plate, 1600m).

“Kris withdrew Barazin from the Toowoomba Cup (2000m) last Saturday to keep him for this easier race,” Greer said.

“He comes back in class on his last run at Eagle Farm when beaten only two lengths and Ben takes 2kg off his 60.5kg handicap.

“We’re also starting El Jasor (Martin Harley) in this race, and he ran well last time when placed at the Gold Coast Saturday metropolitan meeting.

“Coming back slightly in distance from 2400m might be a negative.

“Imposant looks really well placed against her own sex in a No Metropolitan Win for the last 12 months’ race.

Forget her latest defeat in the Group 3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at home when she drew awkwardly and wasn’t suited by the slower pace.

“Imposant was placed in the $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Randwick in April, and resumed when sixth to Epsom Handicap favorite Autumn Glow at Randwick last month.

“Tomorrow’s race is quite a drop back in class, and she has drawn an inside gate.

“Former UK gelding Brave Call resumes at 1600m after two good performances for us in winter.

“He was just beaten in a Class 1 Handicap (1600m) at the Scone Cup carnival in May at his first start in nine months, then won a Provincial Benchmark 68 Handicap over the same distance at home in June.

“Brave Call has had two trials and will definitely take benefit from tomorrow’s race, but can run well all the same from a good draw with seven scratchings already reducing the field to 12.”

. Rivellino and Cleveland were floated to Melbourne midweek with Adelaide River.

Rivellino, sixth to Beiwacht in a record-breaking Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens last Saturday, will be given another Group 1 chance in next Saturday’s Caulfield Guineas (1600m), whilst there are a number of Melbourne options with Cleveland.

Other Provincial runners at the Epsom meeting are:

RACE 1

Sunset Park (Brad Widdup, Hawkesbury)

Magicon (Tracey Bartley, Wyong))

Think We’re There (Jason Deamer, Newcastle)

Otono & Irish Bliss (Kerry Parker, Kembla Grange)

Webejamin (Steve O’Halloran, Hawkesbury)

RACE 2

Iambubb (Mitch & Desiree Kearney, Hawkesbury)

RACE 3

Oh Yes She Did (Mitch & Desiree Kearney, Hawkesbury)

RACE 5

Ruby Flyer (Brad Widdup, Hawkesbury)

Churchill’s Choice (Nathan Doyle, Newcastle)

RACE 7

Jedibeel (Brad Widdup, Hawkesbury)

Private Harry (Nathan Doyle, Newcastle)

RACE 9

Changingoftheguard (Kris Lees, Newcastle)

Flying Bandit (Kerry Parker, Kembla Grange)

RACE 10

Cloudland (Kris Lees, Newcastle)

Story John Curtis, October 3, 2025