Now that Lord Of Biscay is confirmed for the Tamworth Cup, trainer Kris Lees plans to feature a couple of promising three-year-olds as the stars of his Anzac Day runners at Randwick.
The Provincial-Midway Championships Final victor Lord Of Biscay sits as an early market elect for Saturday’s First Australian Imperial Force Handicap (1500m), yet Lees indicates the gelding will travel to the north-west region of the state the day prior.
"It looks a nice race for him," Lees said of the Tamworth Cup, which carries Big Dance eligibility.
Lees, fresh off a strong autumn campaign capped by Changingoftheguard’s surprise triumph in the Sydney Cup, anticipates that Night Agent and Cantiamo might emerge as prospects for the future.
The trainer from Newcastle has chosen to shorten the trip for Night Agent in Saturday’s Last Post Handicap (1400m) and is eager to gauge his performance.
This gelding enters his initial Saturday appearance in Sydney following a pair of victories: a dominant 10-length margin at a provincial gathering on the Beaumont course and a recent success over 1500m in a midweek city event 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 consistently rated Cantiamo highly, evidenced by her multiple forays into stakes races, such as her latest effort where she placed a solid sixth in the P J Bell Stakes (1200m).
Although facing seasoned mares in The Third Australian General Hospital Handicap (1200m), he believes she will prove tough to overcome while targeting a comeback to quality 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 also enters Valorous Power in the same race as Night Agent, though he notes the newcomer is adapting to local conditions and will sharpen up over time, whereas Zaphod and Kind Words look solid prospects in the Anzac Day Cup (1800m).
That said, the pair of three-year-olds represent his strongest hopes for success.
"Cantiamo and Night Agent are two really nice horses and they’ll both run well," he said.
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