Princess Posh is a possibility to back up at Flemington on Saturday and join Invincible Gem in search of a Group 1 breakthrough.
But Clearly Innocent will be an absentee from the opening of the four-day Melbourne Cup carnival.
That’s the latest from the stable as Flemington takes over the spotlight, beginning with four Group 1s on Saturday – and Kris will have representatives in two of them.
Lees took Invincible Gem and Le Romain to Sandown (Tuesday) morning to gallop on the course proper, and was pleased with their work.
He has booked Corey Brown to ride Invincible Gem in the $500,000 wfa Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) for fillies and mares, and James McDonald for Le Romain in the Group 1 $1m Kennedy Mile (1600m).
Triple Group 1 winner Le Romain won the Mile two years ago when he was partnered by Hugh Bowman, and the race was known as the Cantala Stakes.
Princess Posh ran on solidly to finish third (beaten less than two lengths) to all-the-way winner Shoko in the Group 3 Tesio Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley last Saturday.
“Princess Posh is in the best form of her career, and has pulled up well,” Lees said.
“I will discuss an Empire Rose start with her owners Australian Bloodstock this afternoon.”
Lees is confident Invincible Gem will find the roomier circuit at Flemington more to her liking than when a solid fourth to another all-the-way winner Shumookh in the Group 2 TristarcStakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 20.
That was only her second start this campaign, and she won over 1600m at Royal Randwick as a three-year-old (NJC Spring Stakes) before a close second to Inference in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas over the same course on a very heavy surface.
Lees also nominated Invincible Gem (52kg) and another Moonee Valley placegetter last Saturday, Prized Icon (52.5kg), for the Kennedy Mile, but will rely on Le Romain.
The now six-year-old has 57.5kg – only 2kg more than when successful as a four-year-old in 2016.
“He’s not badly handicapped considering he’s won a Group 1 (2017 wfa Canterbury Stakes, 1300m at Randwick) since and run six placings in that company as well,” Lees said.
Le Romain hasn’t started since his gutsy fourth to Redzel in the $13m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 13.
Lees has decided not to accept with Clearly Innocent, a first-up third in the Group 3 Sydney Stakes (1200m) on same program as The Everest, in the $300,000 Group 2 TAB Multiplier Stakes (1200m).
“We’ll wait for Sandown in a fortnight,” he said. That race is the Group 3 wfa Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1300m).
El Dorado Dreaming, who turned in a much better performance when ridden back and a strong third to Mystic Journey in the Group 2 Fillies’ Classic (1600m), has been entered for both the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and Empire Rose.
Lees has not yet made a decision on a start for the filly in either race, but irrespective she will not proceed to the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on Thursday week.
– Lees Racing
