With confirmation Lord Of Biscay will line up in the Tamworth Cup, Kris Lees is looking to a pair of talented three-year-olds to headline his Anzac Day team at Randwick.
Provincial-Midway Championships Final winner Lord Of Biscay is an early favourite for Saturday’s First Australian Imperial Force Handicap (1500m), but Lees says the gelding will head to the state’s north-west a day earlier.
“It looks a nice race for him,” Lees said of the Tamworth Cup, which carries Big Dance eligibility.
Lees, who enjoyed a successful autumn carnival highlighted by Changingoftheguard’s upset win in the Sydney Cup, is hoping Night Agent and Cantiamo can put their hands up as horses of the future.
The Novocastrian trainer has opted to bring Night Agent back in distance for Saturday’s Last Post Handicap (1400m) and is keen to see how he measures up.
The gelding makes his Sydney Saturday debut off the back of two wins, an arrogant 10 length romp at a country-grade meeting on the Beaumont track and a last start victory in a 1500m midweek metropolitan level race at Hawkesbury.
“It was a Cessnock meeting, with all due respect,” Lees’ said of Night Agent’s win two starts ago.
“Still, he did it convincingly and won well. Then he went to a Hawkesbury metro and won well. He was just a little aggressive early and it took its toll late, although he still won.
“But we decided to drop him back to 1400. It’s probably a more appropriate distance at the moment.”
Lees has long held Cantiamo in high esteem, reflected in the fact he has tested her in stakes company several times, including her most recent outing when she finished a competitive sixth in the P J Bell Stakes (1200m).
While she takes on some older mares in The Third Australian General Hospital Handicap (1200m), he expects her to be hard to beat as he eyes a return to black-type company in the Denise’s Joy Stakes (1200m) at Scone on May 16.
“That would be the plan if she runs well. It’s in three weeks so she can have a freshen and drop back in trip,” Lees said.
“We tried her in stakes company a few times and she has been competitive without winning. It’s a little drop back in grade and she is going really well.”
Lees will also have Valorous Power in Night Agent’s race but says the import is still acclimatising and will improve with time, while Zaphod and Kind Words shape as genuine chances in the Anzac Day Cup (1800m).
However, it is the two three-year-olds he regards as his best winning chances.
“Cantiamo and Night Agent are two really nice horses and they’ll both run well,” he said.
