Kris Lees is hoping jockey Tommy Berry has made a rare dud call in opting to ride a rival runner, rather than his in-form mare Yankee Hussell at Rosehill.
Berry has guided Yankee Hussell to wins at Gosford and Canterbury at her past two starts but has opted to partner the Chris Waller-trained First Light in the Petaluma Handicap (2400m) on Saturday, a mare he has also been aboard for consecutive victories.
“He had the choice,” Lees said.
“Hopefully he’s not as good a judge as he can be.”
Sam Clipperton replaces Berry on Yankee Hussell, who extends to 2400 metres for the first time having posted her recent wins over middle distances.
However, Lees has taken heart from her effort in last year’s Queensland Oaks (2200m) when she came from fifteenth on the corner to finish sixth to stablemate Amokura.
Having always had an opinion of Yankee Hussell, Lees believes she might finally be starting to realise her potential.
“She ran really well in the (Queensland) Oaks to be fair to her,” Lees said.
“Her record doesn’t read terrific in terms of win-to-start ratio, but we did run her in a lot of stakes races at three because we always thought she had the ability and she wasn’t far away.
“She’s got that really good, up-on-speed style and I’m looking forward to seeing how she reacts over the 2400.”
Yankee Hussell is at $6 while another mare from the Lees stable, Powerful Peg, is a $3.40 top pick with online bookmakers for Saturday’s Chandon Handicap (1400m).
A narrow runner-up to Contemporary first-up at Randwick, Powerful Peg has won three of her four starts at the journey and rarely misses a top-three finish.
“It was a good return run and the 1400 suits. She will run well,” Lees said.
Barn mate Bubba’s Bay is not a certain starter in the TAB Handicap (1100m) after drawing wide, while Lees regards Ella Te Ama as a knockout chance at double-figure odds in the final event.
“Good return run and she’s in good order. I think she represents a bit of value,” he said.
