Kris Lees is chasing two $1m races with Prized Icon at Perth’s TABTouchMasters; the first time he has started a horse at Ascot.
Prized Icon arrived safely in Perth this (Monday) morning on a special charter flight from Melbourne carrying interstate horses.
Perth is promoting a $1m race on each of the next three Saturdays – and the first of them is Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m).
“Phil Burns accompanied Prized Icon and reported the horse had travelled well,” Lees said.
“Provided he races well in the Railway, the plan is to also run him a fortnight later in another Group 1, the Kingston Town Classic (1800m).
“I have never had a runner in Perth before, and am considering going over for at least one of the races.”
Melbourne jockey Ben Melham, though suspended at Sandown last Saturday, will still be able to ride Prized Icon in the Railway.
Weights are expected to be raised 1kg at acceptance time, meaning Prized Icon will carry 55kg.
“It’s a weight which gives him a definite winning chance,” Lees said. “Though he won two Group 1s earlier in his career, he has been finding it tough as an older horse (now a five-year-old stallion) to win another at that level in Sydney and Melbourne.
“But that could easily translate to him winning a Group 1 in Perth.”
Whereas the Railway is run under handicap conditions, the Kingston Town on December 8 is a weight-for-age contest.
Lees, with 14 Group 1s under his belt, would clearly like to add another with his first foray into the west.
Prized Icon raced three times in Melbourne during the spring carnival, the latest a gallant fourth to Trap For Fools in the $2m Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 10.
Lees greeted with enthusiasm (Monday)’s announcement by Racing Victoria of a new $5m 1600m race at Flemington on March 16 next year.
“This is something we will certainly give a lot of thought to with Le Romain,” Lees said.
“He is spelling at Ellalong, and looked in great order when I saw him at the weekend.
“He is coming back into work next Monday.”
Champion mare Winx’s likely return in autumn will determine whether Le Romain goes south for the All Star Mile or stays home for the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens.
“The George Ryder is run a week after the All Star Mile, so we’ll go to whichever race Winx doesn’t,” Lees said.
Le Romain was a gallant second to Best Of Days (conceding 5.5kg) in the Group 1 Kennedy Mile at Flemington on November 3; a race he won in 2016 when known as the Cantala Stakes.
Second prizemoney of $180,000 lifted the six-year-old’s career earnings to nearly $3.9m.
Lees has entered three horses – Argie Bargie, Hermosa Reward and recent first-up Rosehill winner Turnberry – for Saturday’s final $50,000 heat at Gosford of the inaugural Sky Racing Spring Provincial Series.
“I may accept with Turnberry at both Rosehill and Gosford, and then make a decision.”
High Power’s Newcastle victory (on Sunday) in the fourth heat qualified him for the $150,000 1600m final at Kembla Grange on Saturday week.
– Lees Racing
