Craig Kerry
Newcastle trainer Kris Lees went to 19 group 1 wins, just one behind his late father Max, with a thrilling front-running effort from $51 chance Changingoftheguard in the $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m).
Carrying the famous colours of seven-time Melbourne Cup-winning owner Lloyd Williams, Changingoftheguard was rated perfectly out in front by Jason Collett before holding on by a half-neck from Soul Of Spain. Highland Bling was a short neck third. It came after Lees claimed a sixth Provincial-Midway final, this time with Lord Of Biscay.
It was a second Sydney Cup victory for Lees, who won the 2006 edition with County Tyrone, a stable favourite he inherited from Max after his death in 2003.
“It’s a great thrill, and to win in those colours, too,” Lees said.
“What a lovely rated ride. I thought he was actually going too slow. He got him back to 14 [second sectionals] – he goes quicker in trackwork most mornings. But he upped the ante when they came up around him and it was really pleasing.”
Lees said the addition of blinkers and having a dry track helped the seven-year-old bounce back from a ninth last week in the Chairman’s Quality (2600m).
“I really thought he’d run well on firm ground,” he said.
“As he’s gotten older, he’s a little bit cunning. He looks after himself when the tracks are wet. He held back last week, you could see he just didn’t have that same action that he’s normally got.
“We saved the blinkers, we said after the Melbourne Cup, he ran a bold race in the Melbourne Cup [when ninth] and we said we’ll save them for Sydney. It was a good plan and happy to get the win.”
On a big day also for fellow Novocastrians Australian Bloodstock, Lord Of Biscay went one in the $1 million Provincial-Midway final to make three titles with Lees.
Beaten narrowly by Matcha Latte last year, Lord Of Biscay ($3.50 favourite) powered to the lead at the 100m under James McDonald on the way to a three-length win over stablemate Imposant. Matcha Latte was third.
Lees and Australian Bloodstock won the Provincial final with Spangler in 2023 and Cristal Breeze in 2021.
Saturday’s win came a race after two-time Melbourne Cup-winning syndicators Australian Bloodstock were celebrating victory in another $1 million event, the group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes, with Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Cherry Bomshell.
Lees said import Lord Of Biscay would likely go now to the Tamworth Cup in two weeks to chase qualification for November’s $3 million Big Dance.
Cherry Bomshell ($17), which beat Medicinal by three-quarters of a length, was coming off back-to-back Eagle Farm wins.
Everest in sight for Tempted
Tempted pushed her claim as the best sprinter in Australia with a race record time to win the $1 million Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) to likely cap an unbeaten preparation.
The Ciaron Maher-trained, Godolphin-owned filly was a notable absentee from last week’s TJ Smith Stakes won by Joliestar and started a $1.60 favourite to win on Saturday.
Coming off wins in the Eskimo Prince (1200m) and group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m), last year’s Everest runner-up came from midfield under Chad Schofield to beat Devil Night by one and a quarter lengths. She stopped the clock at 1:08.0 to beat Cosmic Force’s race record 1:08.14 set in 2019.
Godolphin racing and bloodstock manager Jason Walsh said Tempted would more than likely go for a spell.
Maher was eyeing another shot at the $20 million Everest in October and a rematch with Hong Kong star Ka Ying Rising.
“The Everest is there, so maybe you let her furnish and go again, but whatever you take her to, she’s going to be very competitive,” Maher said.
“The thing is, [Ka Ying Rising] looks like he’s getting better as well. Anyway, it’s a good problem to have.”
Smith’s Flyer breaks through
Warwick Farm trainer Matt Smith was eyeing the Stradbroke Handicap with Idle Flyer after she overcame a disrupted preparation to win the group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m).
Smith had targeted the fillies and mares’ race but went into the contest worried she might be a run short after a temperature early in her preparation.
It mattered none as the four-year-old overhauled multiple group 1 winners Lady Shenandoah and Treasurethe Moment under Zac Lloyd to claim a first of her own by three-quarters of a length.
“We had to switch our plans,” Smith said of the campaign.
“We would have had another run under our belt going into today, so we only had the two, but it didn’t matter. I was a bit worried that it might.
“That’s a big win. She beat some good mares there.”
Waller considers trio for Champagne Stakes
Diameter could give Chris Waller a potential third contender in the group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) next Saturday at Randwick after the Godolphin-owned colt broke through in the listed Fernhill Mile at his fifth start.
The son of Brazen Beau raced outside the leader before taking over at the 300m mark and beating Salaan by a length under Tommy Berry at Randwick on Saturday.
“He’s always shown us he’d get a mile, so it gave us the confidence to press towards this race,” Waller said.
Godolphin Australia managing director Andy Makiv said backing up Diameter in the group 1 for two-year-olds next week would definitely be considered.
Waller said group 1 Sires’ Produce winner Campione D’Italia and Inglis Millennium champion Fireball would race in the Champagne provided they galloped well on Monday.
Winter path for resurgent Beskar
Co-trainer Anthony Freedman was looking to three-year-old races during the Queensland winter carnival with Beskar after he went back-to-back at listed level.
The Snitzel gelding led then held out Mareth narrowly to claim the South Pacific Classic (1400m) on Saturday, three weeks after surging late to win the Darby Munro (1200m) at Rosehill.
“He’s always shown us really good ability,” Freedman said.
“He just lost his way, needed gelding, and we’ve changed up a lot with him. We hardly work him and it’s working for him.
“He can sustain a long gallop, so it just opens up some options for us at 1400. He might end up in Queensland for a couple of their races. He’s pretty lightly raced and he handles this direction, so that’s probably the logical step.”
