KRIS Lees called on Damien Oliver to give him his 16th Group 1 winner, in the Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm in June.
Now the leading Newcastle trainer is again calling on the legendary Melbourne jockey to try to clinch him a second runner in Tuesday week’s $8.4m Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Lees this morning confirmed he had booked the soon to retire Oliver for Kalapour in the Group 3 Lexus Archer Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday; the winner automatically securing a Cup berth.
Lees, after conferring with major owners Lloyd and Nick Williams, also confirmed 11-times Group 1 winner Michael Dee will ride Cleveland, an impressive winner of last Friday night’s $750,000 Gold Cup (2500m) at The Valley, in the famous “two-miler”.
Cleveland carried 55.5kg (0.5kg overweight) when, with yesterday’s Cox Plate winning rider James McDonald aboard, he defeated the 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare.
He has 51.5kg in the Cup, and is eligible for a penalty.
Kalapour, the Group 3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) winner at Doomben in May, has finished third at Royal Randwick at his last two starts – in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) on September 30, and ATC St Leger Stakes (2600m), in which Cleveland was runner-up, on October 14.
“Kalapour will be sent to Melbourne during the week,” Lees said this afternoon.
“Provided he runs well on Saturday, even if he doesn’t win, there is every likelihood we will back him up in the Cup should he make the field.”
Kalapour (50kg) is currently 35th in order of entry (24 can run), but there are expected to be more Cup dropouts when third acceptances are taken tomorrow (Monday).
Oliver would not be able to ride Kalapour at his light weight in the Cup, and has taken the mount on another outsider, six-year-old import Alenquer (56.5kg), who ran ninth to Cleveland at The Valley, for Melbourne trainer Mike Moroney.
Not only was Lees pleased to get Cleveland back into winning form (without blinkers) as he heads towards the Cup with a real possibility of giving major owner Lloyd Williams a remarkable eighth success in the great race, but also with the manner in which the six-year-old stallion has come through The Valley assignment.
Cleveland won a 3749m Handicap for four-year-olds and upwards at Chester (England) in May last year, defeating Coltrane, who won the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup (3319m) at York two months ago.
Cleveland’s Cup rider Dee won last year’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup on Newcastle Gold Cup winner Durston, and has won a further four at racing’s elite level this year.
They were the Blue Diamond Stakes (Little Brose) and Australian Guineas (Legarto) in Melbourne, the Coolmore Classic (Espiona) in Sydney, and more recently the Goodwood Handicap in Adelaide in May on Royal Merchant.
Dee rode favourite and fourth placegetter Lunar Flare in last Friday night’s Gold Cup, but she suffered a career-ending injury and has been retired.
Cleveland and Kalapour’s stablemate Luncies arrived in Melbourne this morning to contest Wednesday’s $500,000 Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m).
He has 59kg topweight, and Blake Shinn has taken the mount.
Shinn rode Luncies when runner-up to Vow And Declare in the Group 2 Sandown Classic (2400m) last November, and again when also second, to subsequent Caulfield Cup winner Without A Fight in the Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1800m) at Eagle Farm in May.
Fellow Newcastle trainer Mark Minervini is also starting recent acquisition Raging Bull in Saturday’s Lexus Archer Stakes, hoping to secure his first Melbourne Cup runner.
Raging Bull, narrowly and unluckily beaten over 2000m at Randwick yesterday week at only his second start for his new trainer, has 50kg in the Cup and is 37th in order of entry, pending tomorrow’s next round of acceptances.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but he is edging closer to a Cup start,” Minervini said.
“I’m keen to run him provided he runs well in the Lexus Archer.”
Minervini wants to book the same jockey for both the Lexus Archer and Cup, and expects to confirm a rider tomorrow.
*Story John Curtis, October 29, 2023 - Pics Bradley Photos*
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