LEES TO DECIDE WHETHER TO SPLIT OAKS HOPEFULS

KRIS Lees has a decision to make whether to split his Queensland Oaks candidates Crathie Kirk and Erin Jo (pictured) at the weekend - or keep them together.

Both fillies have been entered for a 3 & 4YO Benchmark 68 Handicap (1800m) at Friday night’s National 2YO Classic meeting at the Gold Coast, and the traditional Oaks lead-up, the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday.

“At this stage I will accept in both races with the pair and then look at fields, barrier draws etc before making a decision,” the leading Newcastle trainer said this morning.

Lees has won the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) – to be run at Eagle Farm on June 6 – three times, twice in the last three years.

He scored with Vitesse Dane (Hugh Bowman) in 2005, Amokura (Damien Oliver) in 2023 and You Wahng (Tommy Berry) last year.

Crathie Kirk, a daughter of Ole Kirk, has won three of her seven starts and has come into Oaks contention with victories at her last two, at Coffs Harbour and the Sunshine Coast.

She was a short-priced favorite on a heavy track when successful over 1600m at Coffs Harbour on April 24 before taking a Benchmark 65 Handicap (1800m) at the Sunshine Coast on May 10.

Erin Jo, a daughter of I Am Invincible and Lees’ former outstanding mare Lucia Valentina, drew poorly and got back, then had trouble securing clear running over the closing stages of the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) on May 9.

Lees also intends accepting with both Cloudland and Lord Of Biscay for Saturday’s Group 3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben.

Brisbane has had plenty of rain, and the track was rated a ‘Heavy 10’ today.

He did not accept with either Tavi Time or You Wahng for Saturday’s Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) – and only seven horses were left to contest the weight-for-age feature.

Instead, he hopes to win two Lord Mayor’s Cups with the pair – one in each State.

Tavi Time, who was absolutely luckless in last Friday’s Scone Cup (1600m), heads north for the Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1800m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday week.

You Wahng stays home for the Sydney version, the Listed Lord Mayor’s Cup (2000m), at Rosehill Gardens the same day.

You Wahng, runner-up in the Group 3 JRA Plate (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 18, hasn’t raced since finishing eighth in the Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) on May 9.

Sydney Cup winner Changingoftheguard won’t continue on to the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on June 13, and will spell.

Racing Victoria stewards reported he was lame after last Saturday’s Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m) at Flemington, where he started $4.40 favorite and dropped out to finish near the tail of the field.

. The course proper meeting scheduled for Kembla Grange on Tuesday, June 2 will now be held on the new Illawarra Grange track (inside the course proper).

As a result of the switch, a number of distance changes will apply.

The Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap and 4YO & Up Maiden Plate will be 1150m (not 1000m), and the Midway Class 1 Handicap and Maiden Handicap, both previously 1500m, will be run at 1450m.

Well-known former Kembla Grange trainer Geoff Hall has passed away just short of his 83^rd birthday.

Mr Hall trained nearly 200 winners, and his last runner was Alise at his home track on January 21, 2023.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MAY 19, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS