Lees holds a strong hand at Randwick
KRIS Lees is coming off his best season and if tomorrow’s fields at Randwick are anything to go by, he might not have even reached his peak.
Lees is bucking the trend in building a powerhouse stable outside the Sydney metropolitan area.
The Newcastle trainer prepared 161 winners last season, 41 more than his previous best season (2014-15).
His horses also earned more than $9 million in prizemoney.
Lees will saddle up favourite Le Romain and improving mare Invincible Gem in the Group 2 Missile Stakes tomorrow.
Both horses have constantly improved, just like Lees since he took out his trainer’s licence in 2003 following the death of his father, trainer Max.
Le Romain didn’t exactly set the world alight in his first preparation but he now has three Group 1 wins.
“You don’t think they will ever get to a three-time Group 1 winner when they get beat at their first start at Wyong,” Lees said. “But he was always a smart horse.
“Invincible Gem is probably the more surprising one.
“Her first prep was OK and she just got beat at (Beaumont) Newcastle by Awoke (at her second start).
“She came back and won a maiden first-up. She had a really long prep but as she got deeper into it she excelled when we stretched her out a touch (in distance).
“She certainly took big steps last preparation from a maiden at Canterbury to just getting beaten in a Randwick Guineas.”
So who does Lees rate as his best Missile Stakes hope?
“I’m really happy with how Le Romain is coming up for the prep,” he said.
“Invincible Gem is a little more forward as far as she has been in work a little longer and came to hand a touch quicker but Le Romain has the class on his side.
“He is quite well treated at weight-for-age against these types of horses but I’m always respectful of horses up and going with race fitness this time of year.”
Lees will also saddle up Wahng Wah in race two, Olympic Academy and Admiral Jello in race six and favourite Launch Code in race eight in what could turn out to be the perfect start to his 2016-17 campaign.