Kris Lees has three runners on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington on Saturday – and considers Le Romain the pick of the trio.
Le Romain (James McDonald) attempts to win the $1m Group 1 Kennedy Mile (1600m) for the second time in three years, and he also will be represented by invincible Gem (Corey Brown) in another Group 1, the $500,000 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m), and El Dorado Dreaming (Damien Oliver) in the $300,000 Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m).
Lees has opted to take winkers off triple Group 1 winner Le Romain, who raced in them when a gutsy fourth on heavy ground in the $13m The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 13.
“I put them on him in The Everest because he was coming back from the 1600m of the George Main Stakes a month earlier (when runner-up to Winx),” he said from Melbourne this afternoon.
“He doesn’t need them now going back to the ‘mile’.
“Le Romain never lets us down, and I’m sure he will run a cheeky race on Saturday.
“I think he is the best of our three runners.”
Le Romain had Hugh Bowman aboard when he won the Kennedy Mile (then known as Cantala Stakes) two years ago with 55.5kg to clinch his second Group 1 success.
He rises 2kg, but has since won another Group 1 (2017 wfa Canterbury Stakes, 1300m) and filled six placings at that level, along with his The Everest fourth.
With seven wins and 14 placings (12 of them seconds), Le Romain has already earned just over $3.7m and will lift that figure beyond $4m if he can land the $600,000 first prize.
Lees feels Invincible Gem is “over the odds” in the Empire Rose, but considers her chances will depend on getting a cosy run from an awkward barrier (13).
“Corey will have to ride her quiet and try to give her as good a run as possible,” he said. “If he can do that, she is definitely not out of this race.
“This is the race we have aimed her at since she came back into work.
“Flemington is going to suit her better than Caulfield. She just wasn’t comfortable there last time.”
El Dorado Dreaming backs up from a splendid Moonee Valley third over 1600m last Saturday, and because of her Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes victory at Randwick in the autumn, has to carry 58.5kg topweight and concede up to 3.5kg to her rivals.
“This is her first attempt at 2000m,” Lees said. “She looks as though she will handle it but you never know until you try them at the distance.”
El Dorado Dreaming pulled up with a throat issue at Moonee Valley, but Lees said there was no problem about her being fit to race on Saturday.
Lees also has two runners at the Doomben meeting, where the new increased prizemoney kicks in.
Last-start Doomben winner Intrinsic tackles the Benchmark 85 Handicap (1350m) against her own sex, and consistent Tawfiq Boy runs in a similar race also against his own sex.
“Both horses have drawn well and I expect them to run well,” Lees said.
“It was good to see Intrinsic break through a fortnight ago and she has trained on well. This is tougher, but an inside draw brings in her with a good chance.
“Tawfiq Boy has remained at our Gold Coast base since his last start when fifth on September 29.
“There’s nothing wrong with his form and he is also drawn well enough in a much bigger field than Intrinsic meets.”
– Lees Racing
