Lease went home with stable bragging rights the last time he clashed with barn mate Dufresne but trainer Anthony Cummings expects there to be little between the pair when they go head-to-head again in the Group 3 Spring Stakes at Newcastle.
The three-year-olds both contested the Bondi Stakes (1600m) two starts ago with Lease finishing an unlucky third to Hilal and Dufresne sixth after over-racing from a wide draw.
“They galloped together on Tuesday. There was nothing between them and that’s how it will probably work out on Saturday,” Cummings said.
Dufresne is still in his first racing preparation and will be lining up for his seventh start after finishing an encouraging second to Kiss Sum in The Four Pillars (1500m) last start.
Considering he had his first barrier trial at Hawkesbury in June, the son of Hinchinbrook has showed good durability to maintain his form throughout a lengthy campaign.
“He’s probably been here longer than any other horse at the moment,” Cummings said.
“Every time I’ve tried to be kind to him, I’ve had to be harder to get him back to where he is because he does too well. He needs the work and he enjoys a heavy workload.
“Wet or dry doesn’t seem to matter and he just keeps responding.”
Cummings took the blinkers off Dufresne prior to his Four Pillars effort and they will stay off for Saturday’s race.
Lease will also be without the headgear after over-doing it in front at Randwick last start and being run down late by Saturday’s Spring Stakes rival Holstein.
“He went too quick and he was only just beaten on the line. He should have won by panels really,” Cummings said.
“Now the blinkers come off and Nash (Rawiller) goes on and from the gate, he’s going to get the best run and be hard to beat.”
Lease has drawn barrier five while Dufresne, named after the main character in Shawshank Redemption, has gate 12, although Cummings doesn’t expect the wide draw to be a negative given the 1600m start at Newcastle has a long run to the first turn.
Both horses are regarded as genuine chances in an open betting race with Dufresne at $6 and Lease at $8.
