A Wyong barrier trial success (on Monday) has influenced Kris Lees to continue with Goldstream’s current preparation. As a result, last year’s Italian Derby winner will have his second start for the stable in Friday week’s $200,000 Listed Scone Cup (1600m) at the annual two-day carnival.
Goldstream tackled weight-for-age company at his Australian debut and over-raced before fading to finish last of eight runners behind English in the $600,000 Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick. With Aaron Bullock aboard (Monday), he won a 1000m trial at Wyong in 59.71secs, defeating stablemate Selectify.
“He did everything right in the trial; very pleased with him,” Lees said. “We’ll run him in the Scone Cup, and his performance will then determine immediate plans beyond that.” Goldstream has raced only eight times for five wins – from 1600m to 2213m.
Former Queenslander River Lad is also heading to Scone following (Mpnday)’s Wyong trial session. He will contest the $140,000 Listed Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) on Saturday week on the second day of the carnival. One of his rivals will be impressive Country Championships Final winner Clearly Innocent, who ran second in the opening 1000m trial yesterday.
River Lad, who won the 2014 Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm when prepared in Queensland, ran third to Harry Hotspur in the second 1000m trial (in 59.65s). The eight-year-old hasn’t raced since finishing eighth to Artistry in the Group 3 Newcastle Newmarket (1350m), run at Rosehill Gardens on March 19.
Lees is planning to have three starters – Danish Twist, Onemorezeta and Electric Power – in the $200,000 Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone on Saturday week.
Danish Twist and Onemorezeta produced a stable quinella in the Ladies Day Cup (1300m) – a Benchmark 85 Handicap – at Hawkesbury’s stand-alone meeting last Saturday.
Another stablemate Lips Areios, who ran fourth to Oxford Poet in another 1000m Wyong trial (on Monday), is not far off returning to the race.
– Racing NSW
