David Lee might have left the training ranks but his interest in horses remains with Warwick Farm winner Kelvinside.
The three-year-old, now in the care of Lee’s brother-in-law Pat Webster at Randwick, broke his maiden on Wednesday when he beat the much-hyped Kingsguard over 1400 metres by a short neck.
Formerly trained in New Zealand by Chris McNab, Kingsguard was having his first start for Hawkes Racing.
He came with a big reputation having run second to subsequent Group One winner Xtravagant and third in a race won by Mackintosh, a dual Group winner in Australia for Chris Waller.
Last Saturday’s Queensland Oaks winner Provocative finished fourth to Mackintosh in that race at Ellerslie in January.
He was at $3 in Wednesday’s maiden while Kelvinside was the $15 outsider in the field.
“I haven’t had him very long but he came to me in good order,” Webster said.
“My brother-in-law has retired now but he is still a part-owner of this horse.
“We took him to Newcastle and he over-raced but was much better today.”
Favourite Elusive Star ($2.10) finished last of the six runners.
Webster said stable star Happy Clapper was back at Randwick to get ready for his spring campaign.
“He had about seven weeks out and has put on a lot of weight and looks great,” he said.
The winner of the Group Two Villiers Stakes in December, Happy Clapper backed up that form in the autumn when he was placed in Sydney’s two biggest races.
He finished second to Winx in the Doncaster Mile and third in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes won by Lucia Valentina before his break.
Webster’s ambitious spring plans include the Group One Cox Plate and Mackinnon Stakes.
Lucia Valentina’s trainer Kris Lees also had a winner at Warwick Farm with $2 favourite Guard Of Honour winning the 2YO Plate (1000m) at his second start.
