WYONG GELDING’S GOOD “LEASE” ON LIFE

HE was having his 50^th start, is with his seventh trainer and still has a good “lease” on life!

Wyong trainer Allan Kehoe wasn’t surprised at all with his evergreen seven-year-old Lease’s $26 triumph at yesterday’s Coffs Harbour Cup meeting.

Ridden by Danny Peisley, the gelding defeated another roughie Personal Space ($41) and Boambee Beach ($6.50) in the Class 3 Handicap (1200m).

Kehoe was the second provincial winning trainer at the Showcase fixture after leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ Barazin ($4.20) shouldered his 61kg topweight to grab a last gasp victory in the Ken Howard Cup (2000m).

Lease, a son of Newcastle’s now deceased international star Choisir, finished last of nine runners in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m) at home only eight days earlier when resuming.

But his trainer had no hesitation backing him up so quickly, and gave him a chance to get back into the winning list.

“Lease has never won first-up, but had won twice when second-up,” Kehoe said this morning.

“He was trapped wide at Wyong and took nice improvement from that run.

“I took him to Coffs Harbour in January and he was beaten in a photo-finish in a Benchmark 58 Handicap (1300m) with 61kg.”

Kehoe clearly has the key to the gelding, as he has trained him now for three of his four career successes (he has been placed on 17 occasions overall).

Lease had not won since taking a Wyong Maiden (1350m) in September 2021 when with his original trainer Anthony Cummings.

Kehoe took a Newcastle Class 1 Handicap (1400m) in August last year with Lease when the gelding was having only his second start for him, and subsequently won a Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap at the same track and over the same distance in February.

“I’m sure we can win another provincial race with Lease this campaign,” Kehoe added.

Meanwhile, Kehoe says stablemate Shaggy remains on track for his first start as a three-year-old in the Listed The Rosebud (1100m) Rosehill Gardens on August 16.

Shaggy resumed at Royal Randwick last Saturday when seventh to Nashville Jack in a 2YO Handicap (1100m) on a ‘Soft 6’ track.

“He seems to struggle a bit on wet tracks,” Kehoe said.

“Shaggy also was a bit underdone, and has come through the race well.

“Hopefully this rain clears and we can get a better track for The Rosebud.”

Kehoe booked Newcastle apprentice William Stanley for Shaggy’s resumption to offset his 60.5kg handicap, and is hoping to secure Ash Morgan for the gelding’s next assignment.

Kembla Grange trainer Mitch Beer got off to a quick new season start at his home track’s meeting yesterday.

Beer, who was runner-up to Rob and Luke Price in last season’s local premiership, clinched a double with Spiritualistic ($4.80) in the Midway Maiden Handicap (1300m) and Los Padres ($5.50) in the Provincial Benchmark 68 Handicap (1200m).

Tom Sherry had the mount on Spiritualistic, and Rory Hutchings partnered Los Padres.

Story John Curtis, August 2, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos