Patience pays. That’s why Kris Lees feels Admiral Jello has a real show of ending a run of minor placings at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Placed at his last five starts, the ultra-consistent stayer faces five rivals in the Listed City Tattersall’s Club Cup (2400m).
Placed in both the Taree Cup (2000m) with 60kg on August 20 and again in the Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) on September 15, Admiral Jello is certainly deserving of an overdue breakthrough.
“I think we’ve found the right race for him,” Lees said, referring to the fact he bypassed both The Metropolitan (2400m) and St Leger (2600m) at Randwick on September 30 and October 14 with his five-year-old.
“Admiral Jello has trained on well since his last run. I’m sure he won’t be far away.”
At his last start, the gelding’s rider protested unsuccessfully against Auvray when narrowly beaten in the Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 23.
The merit of that form was confirmed when Auvray was a strong-closing second to Melbourne Cup contender Big Duke in last Saturday’s $500,000 St Leger.
Glyn Schofield rode Auvray when he just edged out Admiral Jello at Rosehill, and Lees has booked him for the Tatts Cup mount.
Though Admiral Jello hasn’t raced for four weeks, Lees has kept him up to the mark. He finished third in a 1000m barrier trial on the Beaumont track on October 11.
Japanese import Hallelujah Boy has been withdrawn from the Benchmark 85 Handicap (1400m) with a minor issue, leaving Zestful (TyeAngland) as Lees’ other Randwick representative.
She runs in the $150,000 Group 3 Nivison (1200m), and her trainer has made a switch of gear, removing the tongue tie and instead putting winkers on her.
Like Admiral Jello, Zestful has been freshened since finishing seventh to Zanbagh in the Group 3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at the Newcastle carnival on September 15.
“She got too far back that day, and finished off nicely,” Lees said.
“I feel coming back to the 1200m will suit her, and hopefully the little gear change does the trick.”
Zestful also trialled on the Beaumont circuit on October 11, finishing second to Trust Me in an 800m Open hitout. Three of her five wins have been at 1200m.
Lees has seven acceptors at Saturday’s home meeting on the course proper, where the rail is 9m out.
Wallangarra, the English horse with the Australian name, has drawn the rails in a field of eight in the Class 2 Handicap (1850m), with Robert Thompson booked.
But he is also an entry for the Class 1/Maiden Plate (1750m) at Tuesday’s Muswellbrook meeting, with fields declared tomorrow.
“I’ll study both races and decide where to go with him. He should be hard to beat wherever he runs,” Lees said.
The English import outclassed his rivals over 1812m at Port Macquarie on October 7 at only his second Australian start.
Lees also hasn’t decided whether first starter Heat Haze (1200m 3YO Maiden) runs on Saturday or at Wyong on Sunday in the 1200m Maiden Handicap.
He has booked Mitchell Bell for Newcastle, and stewards have allowed him to declare Glyn Schofield for his Fastnet Rock filly and stablemate Nais Ko at Wyong, with his intention to run only one of the pair.
Lees’ other Newcastle representatives are Lomazzo (1200m Benchmark 64 Handicap), Valeria (900m Maiden Plate), Envy Of All (900m Class 2 Handicap), and Munjai and Kandy (1200m F&M Benchmark 60 Handicap).
Lomazzo also is an acceptor for a Class 1 Handicap (1200m) at Wyong. The regular placegetter will carry 60kg if he lines up at Newcastle (after Nick Heywood’s 1.5kg claim) and 0.5kg more at Wyong, with senior jockey Aaron Bullock booked.
Lees is putting winkers on Envy Of All. “She is owned by Gooree Stud and is a nice filly who ran third at Rosehill last month at her only start for me,” he said.
“She was to have raced at Canterbury (Wednesday) but drew poorly, so I kept her for this race.”
– Lees Racing
