Trainer Kris Lees to run Brudenell at Randwick on Saturday after weighing up Eagle Farm option

News.com.au

a day ago

Racing history might be weighing heavily against Brudenell but trainer Kris Lees wants to give the sprinter his chance in the Listed $200,000 Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Brudenell has been burdened with 59kg, an impost which has proven beyond all but four horses in the last 50 years of the Australian Turf Club's feature winter sprint, formerly known as the June Stakes.
Classique Legend had 60kg when he won the Randwick sprint in 2020 en route to his triumph in The Everest, Jungle Edge won under 60.5kg in 2018, and Avoid Lightning (2014) and Oranmore (1977) both carried 59kg.
Lees did nominate Brudenell for the Group 2 Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm as well but he felt the Bob Charley Stakes was the more winnable race.
'I will keep Brudenell for Randwick,'' Lees said.
'He's not great on a long float trip anyway.
'I know he has plenty of weight at Randwick but he has probably earned it. He goes to Saturday's race in very good form.''
Brudenell won the Listed Abell Stakes at Moonee Valley earlier this campaign and more recently ran a close second to Barber in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford before a last-start third to The Instructor in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes at Scone.
It's Brudenell's Abell Stakes, careering away for a classy victory ðŸ'«
Mark Zahra & Kris Lees combine for Listed success at The Valley � pic.twitter.com/4ZdkAngq4J
— Racing.com (@Racing) February 28, 2025
The Bob Charley Stakes has attracted a final field of 15 with Front Page, who is co-topweight with Brudenell, also in the Moreton Cup.
Also at Eagle Farm, Lees is chasing a third win in the Group 1 $700,000 Queensland Oaks (2200m) with either You Wahng or Eclair Encore.
You Wahng, who ran a close third in the ATC Australian Oaks during the Sydney autumn carnival, has maintained her form as evidenced by a solid last start fifth to Philia in The Roses.
'This will probably be a more high pressure Oaks than what we had in Sydney but we know our filly can stay,'' said Lees, who has won the Queensland Oaks previously with Amokura (2023) and Vitesse Dane (2005).
An epic win by Treasurethe Moment in the G1 Australian Oaks! She nabs the Victorian-Australian Oaks double in the final strides! 🙌 @mattlaurierace | @LaneDamian | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPool pic.twitter.com/0TP9YjxkuE
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025
Eclair Encore is also in the Group 1 $1m Queensland Derby (2400m) but Lees said she would contest the fillies classic.
'I'm thinking the Oaks for Eclair Encore despite the bad barrier (18),'' Lees said.
'I feel it is slightly the better option for her. We did consider splitting them up but we have to do what is best for both fillies.''
Amokura has had only five starts since her Oaks success and is resuming after nearly 12 months off in the Sydney Roosters Partners Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick.
Lees explained Amokura had 'some bone bruising' which kept her out of racing for an extended period but said the mare has had a trouble-free preparation ahead of her comeback on Saturday.
Amokura reigns supreme in the Queensland Oaks! ðŸ'' @Leesracing wins his second Queensland Oaks, while Damien Oliver scores his 128th Group 1 victory. pic.twitter.com/9U5IhnPO0e
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 3, 2023
'Amokura's had a long build-up but she is going well,'' Lees said.
'I'm only going to give her a couple of runs and then bring her back for the spring.''
Lees also has Loch Eagle taking on stablemate Akomura in the mile race with the gelding impressing the trainer with his first-up eighth behind stablemate Tavi Time in the Scone Cup.
Stardom in the Listed Woodlands Stakes.