LITTLE BEGINNINGS CAN RUN WELL AGAIN AT GOOD ODDS

HE’S a roughie again – but it won’t stop Little Beginnings running well at Wyong tomorrow.

After nearly snaring a $101 upset victory at Royal Randwick on December 27, Little Beginnings lines up again in another Benchmark 78 Handicap, this time over a slightly shorter 1350m.

“Little Beginnings seems to run his best races when he is at good odds,” trainer Kris Lees’ spokesman Danny Greer said his morning.

“Our apprentice Ben Osmond sticks, and the horse goes up only 0.5kg on his last run.

“Little Beginnings had to race wide without cover until the 600m at Randwick, so his performance had plenty of merit.

“He has drawn well enough at Wyong and has been placed there, so there’s no reason why he won’t give another great sight.”

Lees’ other Wyong representative is Age Of Sail (Aaron Bullock) in the Benchmark 88 Handicap (2100m).

“Age Of Sail is looking for a bit further, but there’s not a lot of options with him at present,” Greer said.

“He is coming back from the 2400m of the Christmas Cup, but has been placed at Wyong and isn’t without a chance.”

Lees is at the Gold Coast, where his main focus tomorrow is the opening meeting of the Magic Millions carnival there.

Queensland Oaks winner You Wahng contests the $500,000 The Wave (1800m) en route to the $1m MM Subzero (2200m) there next Saturday.

“You Wahng has been at the Coast for a couple of weeks now, and trialled well there,” Greer said.

“Tommy Berry won the Oaks on her last winter, and goes back on.

“She has benefited from two runs back, and is getting to a more suitable distance.”

Lees is having a crack at the $250,000 MM Maiden Plate (1400m) with three runners – Agraffe Rocket (Nash Rawiller), Forging Ahead (Tyler Schiller) and Rustemo (Andrew Mallyon).

“Agraffe Rocket is the pick of our three,” Greer said.

“His debut fourth at Randwick on Boxing Day was good, and Kris was keen to get him a start in this race.

“Agraffe Rocket stepped awkwardly, and hit the line hard and the extra 200m is in his favour.

“Forging Ahead ran well last time at the Gold Coast from an outside barrier, albeit in a weaker race than this, and Rustemo has been very consistent without breaking through.

“Kris has opted to take blinkers off to try something different.”

Blinkers also come off Atelier (Tom Sherry) in the Rising Stars F&M Class 4 Plate (1300m).

“She tended to go a bit too keen last time at the Gold Coast, and hopefully the blinkers coming off will enable her to settle better,” Greer said.

“Atelier has now had two runs back, and won third-up in town last year after winning her first two starts at Orange and Goulburn.”

. Erin Jo has pulled up well from her brilliant breakthrough victory at Warwick Farm earlier in the week.

“We’re keeping our options open with her, but she may have a break,” Greer said.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, JANUARY 9, 2025 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS