Latest news with #KrisLees
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Kris Lees to run Brudenell at Randwick on Saturday after weighing up Eagle Farm option
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 ðŸ¤� — (@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 — 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. — 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.
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Kris Lees leaning towards Lord Mayor's Cup at Eagle Farm for Tavi Time
Trainer Kris Lees has confirmed Tavi Time will run in the Lord Mayor's Cup – but it is most likely at Eagle Farm and not Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Tavi Time, the last-start Scone Cup winner, is entered for two races of the same name and is topweight with 59.5kg for Sydney's version, a Listed race worth $200,000 and run over 2000m. • Racenet iQ members get full access to our Pro Tips service, where Greg Polson and our team of professional punters provide daily tips with fully transparent return on investment statistics. SUBSCRIBE NOW and start punting like a pro! But Lees admitted he is leaning to Brisbane's Group 3 race with the same prizemoney at 1800m. 'I would say Tavi Time will go to Queensland to run in the Lord Mayor's Cup at Eagle Farm,'' Lees said. 'The Eagle Farm race is 1800m so that is a nice progression. I was trying to find a mile race for him but there wasn't much on offer. 'Tavi Time was really good in the Scone Cup, he's trained on well, and I'm very happy with him. He's only early in his preparation so he should be right at his peak for Saturday.'' Lees also has Amokura ready to make her return to racing in Sydney's Lord Mayor's Cup with the mare allocated 56.5kg. Amokura hasn't won since her Group 1 Queensland Oaks triumph two years ago but Lees said the mare is coming up well after having nearly 12 months off racing. 'She's had a long grounding for this preparation and will appreciate some give in the track,'' Lees said. 'But I just don't want it really heavy for her first-up so we will have a good look at our options in the next couple of days.'' The champion Newcastle trainer has a strong team of nine entered for the Rosehill meeting including Rogue Bear (Benchmark 78 Handicap, 1500m), Kind Words (Benchmark 78 Handicap, 1800m), First Person (Benchmark 78 Handicap, 1200m), Power Of The Brave and Alliri (Benchmark 72 Handicap, 1100m), Like Luke (Benchmark 72 Handicap, 1500m), and Damien (2YO Handicap, 1300m). Interestingly, Lees has accepted with his emerging filly Eclair Encore in the Group 1 $1m Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Eclair Encore is first emergency after the Derby attracted a full field of 18 including three fillies, Femminile, Belle Detelle and Chase Your Dreams. 'We weren't sure where Eclair Encore is in the order of entry for the Oaks next week so for that reason we decided to go to the Derby,'' the trainer revealed. 'She was a bit unlucky last start and is a filly that will stay. We could even back up with her in the Oaks if she comes through Saturday in good order.'' Lees revealed he has never prepared a Derby winner during his celebrated training career but his late father, Max, did win a Queensland Derby with County Tyrone in 2002.
Daily Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
Scone preview: Time for Lees' gelding to stand up and be counted
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Inaugural Big Dance winning trainer Kris Lees is hoping to fast track one, potentially, two of modern-day string into the 2025 edition via the Listed Scone Cup (1600m) in the nation's thoroughbred capital. The 2021 Scone Cup was Rustic Steel's ticket to the first Tuesday in November, the Ron and Judy Wanless galloper cashing in and earning the honour of distinction of inaugural Big Dance winner. Lees' Scone Cup duo, Tavi Time and Loch Eagle, are at different stages of their respective campaigns ahead of the feature, one of them race-fit, the other kept fresh for the occasion. Tavi Time, the New Zealand-bred son of Tavistock is third-up off a recent 'fading' fifth in the Hawkesbury Cup on a testing Heavy 8 surface. 'I was happy enough with the horse,' Lees said. 'We probably rode him out of his comfort zone for two reasons; how the track was playing and the alley (nine of 10) so we decided to push forward, sit outside the leader and taking on that hard-fit horse (Punch Lane). 'And to be fair to my horse, I think he likes it probably one or two grades firmer than what it presented so the run was okay under the circumstances. 'You would think, third run, he is ready to run to his best with two conditioning runs under his belt. 'It's a strong race but one I think he can figure in.' Loch Eagle, meanwhile, aims to maintain his compelling fresh record in what will be his first visit to Scone but his 11th run over the mile. In fact, his record at the 1600m stands up against any, or all, of his rivals. 'He's an Ingham winner and he has run in Doncasters and so forth,' Lees said. 'He is starting off straight at his trip but he's trialled up nicely. He always reacts well fresh over shorter course. 'The only other option was to run in the Luskin Star and I just thought 1300m would find him out, he'd be off the bit chasing throughout. 'So at a mile, he gets a chance to travel deep into the race.' Lees is down to saddle-up as many as 14 of his Newcastle residents across the two day carnival. Few of them hold more intrigue and interest than the Irish-born, English-raced gelding Brave Call. Brave Call boasts broodmare sires the ilk of Camelot, Sadler's Wells, Ile de Bourbon and Vaguely Noble that together account for his 2011m Maiden win at Windsor in England. That said, his Newmarket mile placing stands him in good stead when Tommy Berry steers him around in the Kia Ora Class 1 Handicap (1600m). 'He's a nice horse,' Lees said. 'He'll be better for the run. 'He'll be strong late if he can come through them and have a bit of luck.' Lees can end day one of the Scone carnival on a high when the progressive Denman mare strives to build on her tidy resume of three wins and four placings from just 10 runs so far. 'I think she is genuinely city class over the winter,' Lees said. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Canberra trainer Todd Smart is as confident about Cashbook's prospects in the rich Inglis 2YO Challenge as he was ahead of his 2023 race winner, Love Shuck. That's despite Cashbook's Wagga debut last month where he was backed in from $3.20 to $2.35 yet only managed to beat two others to the line but with substantial excuses. 'He did have a pretty hard run, he was three and four-wide the trip, and he got cardiac arrhythmia out of that as well,' Smart revealed. 'So we decided just to give him an easy week and a couple of gallops into a trial. 'His trial was really good. He never left the bridle and he pulled up well and hasn't missed a beat since. 'I am probably more confident in the horse going into this run than I was at Wagga.' Cashbook is racing for the lion's share of a $200,000 purse in the Inglis 2YO Challenge which is restricted to those bought at the firm's annual HTBA Yearling Sale in 2024. Smart found Cashbook there among Widden Stud's draft, paying $28,000 to take him home to Canberra with a view to returning to the nation's horse capital. 'As soon as you buy a horse at that sale, we buy it thinking that this is the race,' he said. 'We get up (to the sale) most years and we bought Love Shuck and it won a few years ago and I think this horse is a really good chance. 'From the gate, he will just need to go back and find cover and they can finish off at Scone.' Cashbook could be one of the bargains of a lifetime for Smart but even a win in the Inglis 2YO Challenge won't see him overtake Love Shuck in that department. Already a winner of $278,150, Love Shuck was knocked down at the 2022 HTBA Yearling Sale for just $6,000. Smart, meanwhile, will be a participant on day two on the Scone Cup carnival as well when the barnstorming Gerry Harvey-bred descendant of Skating, Straight Fire, contests the TAB Highway on Saturday.
News.com.au
15-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Scone preview: Trainer Kris Lees has a strong hand with Tavi Time and Loch Eagle flying the stable flag in the Cup
Inaugural Big Dance winning trainer Kris Lees is hoping to fast track one, potentially, two of modern-day string into the 2025 edition via the Listed Scone Cup (1600m) in the nation's thoroughbred capital. The 2021 Scone Cup was Rustic Steel's ticket to the first Tuesday in November, the Ron and Judy Wanless galloper cashing in and earning the honour of distinction of inaugural Big Dance winner. Lees' Scone Cup duo, Tavi Time and Loch Eagle, are at different stages of their respective campaigns ahead of the feature, one of them race-fit, the other kept fresh for the occasion. Tavi Time, the New Zealand-bred son of Tavistock is third-up off a recent 'fading' fifth in the Hawkesbury Cup on a testing Heavy 8 surface. What a tight finish in the Summer Cup! Tavi Time gets the nose in front of Osipenko and wins it! ðŸ�† â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 26, 2024 'I was happy enough with the horse,' Lees said. 'We probably rode him out of his comfort zone for two reasons; how the track was playing and the alley (nine of 10) so we decided to push forward, sit outside the leader and taking on that hard-fit horse (Punch Lane). 'And to be fair to my horse, I think he likes it probably one or two grades firmer than what it presented so the run was okay under the circumstances. 'You would think, third run, he is ready to run to his best with two conditioning runs under his belt. 'It's a strong race but one I think he can figure in.' Loch Eagle, meanwhile, aims to maintain his compelling fresh record in what will be his first visit to Scone but his 11th run over the mile. In fact, his record at the 1600m stands up against any, or all, of his rivals. 'He's an Ingham winner and he has run in Doncasters and so forth,' Lees said. 'He is starting off straight at his trip but he's trialled up nicely. He always reacts well fresh over shorter course. 'The only other option was to run in the Luskin Star and I just thought 1300m would find him out, he'd be off the bit chasing throughout. Loch Eagle finishes strongly to win the Ingham for @Leesracing! ðŸ�‡ â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 9, 2023 'So at a mile, he gets a chance to travel deep into the race.' Lees is down to saddle-up as many as 14 of his Newcastle residents across the two day carnival. Few of them hold more intrigue and interest than the Irish-born, English-raced gelding Brave Call. Brave Call boasts broodmare sires the ilk of Camelot, Sadler's Wells, Ile de Bourbon and Vaguely Noble that together account for his 2011m Maiden win at Windsor in England. That said, his Newmarket mile placing stands him in good stead when Tommy Berry steers him around in the Kia Ora Class 1 Handicap (1600m). 'He's a nice horse,' Lees said. 'He'll be better for the run. 'He'll be strong late if he can come through them and have a bit of luck.' Lees can end day one of the Scone carnival on a high when the progressive Denman mare strives to build on her tidy resume of three wins and four placings from just 10 runs so far. 'I think she is genuinely city class over the winter,' Lees said. â– â– â– â– â– Canberra trainer Todd Smart is as confident about Cashbook 's prospects in the rich Inglis 2YO Challenge as he was ahead of his 2023 race winner, Love Shuck. That's despite Cashbook's Wagga debut last month where he was backed in from $3.20 to $2.35 yet only managed to beat two others to the line but with substantial excuses. 'He did have a pretty hard run, he was three and four-wide the trip, and he got cardiac arrhythmia out of that as well,' Smart revealed. 'So we decided just to give him an easy week and a couple of gallops into a trial. 'His trial was really good. He never left the bridle and he pulled up well and hasn't missed a beat since. Deekaygeebee takes the opener at @mtcwagga today! 🎉 @widdoracing â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 13, 2025 'I am probably more confident in the horse going into this run than I was at Wagga.' Cashbook is racing for the lion's share of a $200,000 purse in the Inglis 2YO Challenge which is restricted to those bought at the firm's annual HTBA Yearling Sale in 2024. Smart found Cashbook there among Widden Stud's draft, paying $28,000 to take him home to Canberra with a view to returning to the nation's horse capital. 'As soon as you buy a horse at that sale, we buy it thinking that this is the race,' he said. 'We get up (to the sale) most years and we bought Love Shuck and it won a few years ago and I think this horse is a really good chance. 'From the gate, he will just need to go back and find cover and they can finish off at Scone.' Cashbook could be one of the bargains of a lifetime for Smart but even a win in the Inglis 2YO Challenge won't see him overtake Love Shuck in that department. Already a winner of $278,150, Love Shuck was knocked down at the 2022 HTBA Yearling Sale for just $6,000. Straight Fire, contests the TAB Highway on Saturday.
News.com.au
09-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
You Wahng using The Coast as stepping stone to Queensland Oaks
'This is like a $500,000 barrier trial that she could win or run well.'' Trainer Kris Lees made this honest assessment of three-year-old filly You Wahng's chances going into the Listed $500,000 The Coast (1600m) at the Gosford stand-alone meeting on Saturday. But before Lees finds himself in hot water with stewards, the champion trainer qualified his statement. You Wahng is coming off her very good third, beaten less than a length, in the Group 1 ATC Australian Oaks won by Melbourne's wonder filly Treasurethe Moment a month ago. Lees is bringing You Wahng back from 2400m to 1600m for The Coast as he readies his filly for a Group 1 Queensland Oaks campaign. But with the Gosford track rated a Soft 7 – and more rain is forecast for race day – Lees said You Wahng can make her presence felt in the feature Gosford race. 'If we get more rain then You Wahng is right in this race,'' Lees said. 'She's freshened up nicely since the Oaks at Randwick and after she runs in The Coast, she will go two weeks into The Roses and then the Queensland Oaks.'' You Wahng has only had six starts and Lees pointed out that both of the filly's wins have been at 1400m. 'She might be on an Oaks preparation but I do think she will be competitive on Saturday,'' Lees said. You Wahng is at $17 in latest TAB betting on The Coast with Know Thyself, winner of the Country Championships Final earlier this autumn, a firm $3.50 favourite. Lees has some very good chances at Gosford including reliable sprinter Brudenell ($5) in the Group 3 $250,000 Takeover Target Stakes (1200m). Brudenell, a stakes winner at Moonee Valley two starts back, handles all track conditions and impressed Lees with an easy barrier trial win at Wyong late last month. 'We have freshened up Brudenell and he should be very competitive,'' Lees said. 'I like him on this style of track where he can stalk the speed.'' Lees also had last start Group 2 Sapphire Stakes winner Infancy entered for the Takeover Target Stakes but instead has decided to take the mare to the Gold Coast for the Listed $160,000 ATC Trophy (1200m). 'I just felt the Gold Coast race looked a little easier for Infancy,'' he explained. Lees also endorsed Power Of The Brave's chances at the Gosford meeting when he lines up in the $200,000 Thunder Thousand (1000m). Power Of The Brace ($10) goes to Gosford in a rich vein of form and was denied a hat-trick of wins when narrowly beaten by Shall Be at Wyong last start. 'He's an ultra-consistent horse when he gets the right set-up which he should do from the gate (barrier five),'' Lees said. The Lees-trained Memoria ($8.50) is also racing in career-best form and rates as one of the chances in a competitive closer, the Gosford Railway Hotel Handicap (1200m). A striking grey mare, Memoria has won twice and been placed three times in five starts this campaign including her impressive all-the-way win at Randwick two weeks ago. 'She is a beauty,'' Lees said of Memoria. 'She races on speed and gives herself every chance. 'Benjamin Osmond rides Memoria well and his 2kg claim is important as she is not a big mare.'' PRIDE'S RECORD BID IN DOUBT Trainer Joe Pride might have to wait another year to win a record sixth Takeover Target Stakes. Pride revealed he is having second thoughts about starting the brilliant Accredited, the $5 favourite for the Gosford Group 3 sprint. 'I'm watching the weather,'' Pride said. 'Accredited is going really well but he's at his best on a firmer track and I'm reluctant to run him first-up on a wet track. 'I've set him for the Takeover Target Stakes and I'm keen to run but we might save him for Scone next week.'' • 'On at the right time': Bayliss bullish about import at Gosford Pride said the opposite applies to Storm The Ramparts who is entered for the $200,000 Thunder Thousand (1000m). 'Storm The Ramparts loves a wet track,'' the trainer said. 'He is Dragonstone's half-brother and although he is not as good as him, he's a handy sprinter in his own right. 'Their dam, Quick's The Word, is by Shamardal and is a good producer. 'I've had a bit of luck with broodmares by Shamardal. Both Ceolwulf and Private Eye are out of Shamardal mares.'' GIGA CASHED UP Giga Kick, the 2022 The Everest hero, will move to eighth on the all-time list of prizemoney earners if he wins the Group 1 $1m The Goodwood at Morphettville on Saturday. The Clayton Douglas-trained Giga Kick has already earned $12,795,950 and is 10th on the rankings behind mighty mare Winx with $26,451,175. If Giga Kick wins The Goodwood, he will take his earnings to $13,343,200, moving past I Wish I Win ($12,844,303) and Via Sistina ($12,829,989). Giga Kick is the $2.15 TAB Fixed Odds favourite to win The Goodwood where he is extremely well weighted with 54.5kg. KA YING'S WORLD RANKING IS RISING Hong Kong's super sprinter Ka Ying Rising, the early favourite for the $20m The TAB Everest, has moved into equal second position on the 2025 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings. Ka Ying Rising scored his 12th consecutive win in the Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize at Sha Tin last start and improved his official rating to 126 from 124. This moves Ka Ying Rising alongside another Hong Kong champion, Romantic Warrior, on the official world rankings. The only horse rated above the Hong Kong duo is Japan's Forever Young on 127, which he earned after defeating Romantic Warrior in an epic Saudi Cup. The highest Australian-trained horse on the world rankings is Chris Waller's champion mare Via Sistina with 119, ranking her equal 16th. Via Sistina has had a remarkable 2024-25 season winning a record-equalling seven Group 1 races including the Cox Plate-Queen Elizabeth Stakes double and is a certainty for Australian Horse of the Year honours.
