The Championships has finally arrived and so to the rain which has been welcomed by few. Four group 1s at Randwick on Saturday and $8.6million in prizemoney has led to jammed packed fields.
Doing the wet track form is of paramount importance although leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees reckons the team may well have an imported swimmer and a super star jockey to ride.
Lees will saddle up the European raider Slow Pace in the famed Doncaster Mile which has attracted 20 runners plus two emergencies and Joao Moreira is down to ride.
“Wetter the better,” Lees said on Friday.
“He is a French galloper, well travelled, and he has reasonably exposed form, we know he likes it wet.”
The Doncaster is dominated by record breaking trainer Chris Waller who is chasing a fourth win in the toughest mile on the Australian racing calendar.
Waller may not start the Epsom winner and top weight Boban due to the soft track but My Kingdom Of Fife, last year’s winner Sacred Falls, Hawkspur, Royal Descent and Weary may well provide the trainer with First-4 honours.
Not if Lees has his way for Slow Pace has taken plenty of improvement from a first-up, close-up, third behind Mecir in the Newmarket Handicap at Newcastle on March 19.
“He has never really raced over the shorter courses, his best form has been at a mile and a quarter and beyond,” Lees said.
“He could be looking for further, a little concern I have, that’s why he hasn’t raced for three and a half weeks.
“We were hoping we’d get the rain, hoping we’d get plenty, that’s why we’ve kept him in the race, had a throw at the stumps.
“He is a nice natured horse, a good strong, tough gelding and he is thriving.
“I’m sure he is going to have a good prep, I’m sure he has a future here.”
As for Brazilian Moreira, who ruled Singapore when rewriting record books and is now challenging for top honours in Hong Kong, Lees was straight to the point.
“You start at the top and work your way down,” Lees laughed.
“He is proven himself anywhere in the world he has been. He will not be the problem.”
That may well be the lightly raced favourite Messene which is part of Team Hawkes, which collected last Saturday’s Golden Slipper, and will also start Ninth Legion in the Doncaster.
“I thought Messene was a Doncaster horse four or five months ago,” Lees said.
Hall of Fame trainer John Hawkes, in partnership with sons Michael and Wayne, appear to have timed it to perfection and they ensured Messene and Ninth Legion got into the Doncaster with light weights.
“But as we know, barriers and the wet throw things out of whack when it comes to racing,” Lees said.
“We’ve drawn the outside barrier but we know he’ll handle the wet track, as I said earlier, ‘the wetter the better’.”
CRAIG YOUNG’S GROUP 1 TIPS
DONCASTER MILE: HAWSPUR 1, Sacred Falls 2, Slow Pace 3, El Roca 4.
SIRES PRODUCE: PEGGY JEAN 1, Believe Yourself 2, Zululand 3, Kumaon 4.
AUSTRALIAN DERBY: CRITERION 1, Hooked 2, Gallatin 3, Puccini 4.
TJ SMITH: GORDON LORD BYRON 1, Lankan Rupee 2, Buffering 3, Tiger Tees 4.
By Craig Young
