Kris Lees has changed tack with Danish Twist at Hawkesbury (on Saturday).
After earlier looking at running the Provincial Championships Final winner in the $175,000 Group 3 Godolphin Crown (1300m), he decided to settle for the $100,000 Toyota Ladies Cup, which is a Benchmark 85 Handicap over the same distance.
Danish Twist (Brenton Avdulla) will be one of his two runners, with Onemorezeta (apprentice Sam Clenton) also taking her place in the field.
“The three weeks between runs (Danish Twist won the $400,000 Provincial Final at Royal Randwick on April 9) isn’t a concern,” Lees said.
“But I just felt this was the more suitable option before she goes to the Dark Jewel Classic at Scone in a fortnight.”
The $200,000 Group 3 Dark Jewel will be run over the same distance (1400m) as the Provincial Final, on the second (May 14) of the two-day Scone Cup carnival.
Lees said he had a slight preference for Danish Twist over Onemorezeta.
“She is the more consistent of the two mares, and has the better draw,” he pointed out.
Lees will be represented by Electric Power (apprenticeClenton) in the Godolphin Crown, but says she needs more rain to enhance her prospects.
Electric Power finished 10th to her stablemate in the Provincial Final after a strong-finishing third to subsequent Rosehill Gardens winner Hetty Heights over 1350m at Wyong on March 20.
Lees will saddle four runners in the FishboySeafoodsBenchmark 77 Handicap (1500m) at the conclusion of the nine-race Hawkesbury card.
They are Olympic Academy (Blake Shinn), Artibai (KerrinMcEvoy), Marple Miss (Sam Clenton) and Rustic Melody (Tim Clark).
“It’s a big field and a very open race,” Lees said. “PerhapsMarple Miss is the pick of our four.”
Lees’ other Hawkesbury runner is Award Season (McEvoy) in the $100,000 Provincial Stayers Championship Final (2100m).
Award Season has made a remarkable comeback from serious injuries – he was off the scene for two and a half years – and wasn’t disgraced when fifth to Hippopus in the Listed Canberra Cup (2000m) early last month.
“He should get a nice run from the inside alley,” Lees said. “It would be terrific if we could get another win out of him after all he’s been through.”
Since his Canberra trip, Award Season has finished second to His Majesty in an 1150m trial on the Beaumont track on March 29.
– Lees Racing
