KRIS Lees’ Melbourne Cup cupboard is bare this year.
Whereas the leading Newcastle trainer had two acceptors last year (although Cleveland was a race eve withdrawal because of an elevated temperature), he won’t have a representative in the famous “two-miler” at Flemington on November 5.
Lees pulled the pin on a Melbourne Cup run with Kalapourafter he failed in last Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).
The seven-year-old drew the inside barrier and had a good run, but was beaten before the home turn and finished 17th to Duke De Sessa.
“Kalapour is on his way home,” Lees said on Tuesday afternoon.
“There is something not quite right with him, so he’ll have a nice break.
“As a Group 1 winner at weight-for-age and then a Sydney Cup placegetter earlier in the year, we know his Caulfield Cup performance wasn’t his true form.”
Whilst Kalapour’s stablemate Adelaide River also returned home to be gelded after his fourth in the Group 1 wfa Might And Power Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 12, Lees hasn’t given up hope of striking at the Melbourne spring carnival.
He is sending the four-year-old mare Infancy south later this week for the $200,000 Group 3 Furphy Sprint (1100m) against her own sex at Flemington on Saturday week on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup carnival.
She came from last at the 400m when a close fifth to Moravia against the “boys” in a Benchmark 94 Handicap (1200m) at Randwick on October 5.
Infancy won the Listed Fireball Stakes (1100m) at Randwick in March before finishing second there to Facile in the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) the following month.
. Lees has confirmed Chad Schofield’s booking for Tavi Time in the $3m Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on November 5.
Ridden by James McDonald, Tavi Time won a Benchmark 88 Handicap (1600m) with 60kg at Warwick Farm on October 16 at only his second run this campaign.
In the latest Big Dance market with TAB.com.au, Tavi Time is a $7 third favorite behind Gringotts ($3.50) and Newcastle Group 3 Cameron Handicap winner Here To Shock ($6).
Lees also has Mayfair Spirit (who qualified by winning the 1600m Gunnedah Cup in May) in the Big Dance, and Loch Eagle and Rogue Bear in the $750,000 Little Dance.
Story John Curtis, October 22, 2024
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