The prospect of a wet track at Taree on Sunday holds no fear for Newcastle-based trainer Kris Lees, who takes a strong team to the Wingham Cup meeting.
Lees has a pair of two-year-olds set to contest the opening event of the day, the Sebring Sun At Glenthorne Park 2YO Handicap (1262m).
Leading trainer Kris Lees takes a strong team of runners to taree on Sunday.Credit: Getty
Lees has first-starter Éclair Encore, to be ridden by Andrew Gibbons, in the event, with stablemate Star Venture (Blake Spriggs) also lining up.
“From what I’ve seen of them, the first-starter [Éclair Encore] probably looks to be the pick of them,” Lees said. “Her trials have been pretty good and she looks as though she’ll handle a wet track which looks like it will the case on Sunday.”
Star Venture is down in grade on a last-start Canterbury effort.
Rum Diary, with Darryl McLellan in the saddle, will be Lees’ runner in the Stacks Law Firm Maiden Plate (1262m). Lees scratched the gelding from Dubbo on Friday, and expects the son of Written By to be hard to hold out having been placed in all five of his starts.
“He’s drawn a good gate and has run well every time he’s stepped out to date,” Lees said. “This looks to be a nice race for him.”
Lees had a two-pronged attack in the Glass 24/7 Corey Brown Cup Benchmark 82 Handicap (1262m) with Kordia (Osmond) and Oakfield Duke (Aaron Bullock) in the field.
“Kordia will run, although I haven’t had him in my stable long,” Lees said. “Oakfield Duke is also in at Canterbury on Monday. Kordia is handy at his best and I’m hoping he’ll run well.”