LEES AND J-MAC CHASE ANOTHER PMC FINAL

THEY combined to land the Provincial-Midway Championships Final two years ago with Spangler.

Now they are joining forces again to try to win the 2025 Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday with another import, Lord Of Biscay.

Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has confirmed James McDonald will partner Lord Of Biscay in the $1m feature.

McDonald missed the first day of The Championships yesterday, as he rode at the Dubai Cup meeting, where his Cox Plate winner Romantic Warrior was beaten in an agonisingly close finish by Japan’s Soul Rush in the Group 1 Dubai Turf (1800m).

The crushing defeat came on top of the gun jockey having to ease Hong Kong sprinter Howdeepisyourlove down midway through the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) when he appeared to be travelling beautifully, and subsequently was humanely euthanized because of a partial dislocation of the near fore fetlock.

Lees also has Kembla Grange Qualifier winner Imposant in Saturday’s Final, and has booked yesterday’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile winning jockey Jason Collett to ride her.

Lord Of Biscay is currently a $6 second favorite for the Final, whilst Imposant is one of the outsiders at $26.

Lees purposely hasn’t started Australian Bloodstock-raced Lord Of Biscay since he qualified for the Final by finishing a close second to Kembla Grange mare Welcometobarbados in a Newcastle Qualifier (1400m) on March 1 after having to race wide.

Final favorite Matcha Latte (Ash Morgan), who finished third, subsequently won another Newcastle Qualifier (1400m) on March 20.

Before his narrow Newcastle defeat, the five-year-old had won both a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m) at the opening Gold Coast night meeting on December 20 and Big Dance Eligibility Ballina Cup (1590m) on January 17.

Lees gave Lord Of Biscay a trial at home last Wednesday when he ran a close second to fellow Newcastle Finalist, Jason Deamer’s Rapt, in a 920m heat on the Broadmeadow course proper. ‘

“Very happy with how he trialled and how he has done since,” Lees said today. “He is ready to go to the Final and run well.”

Lees is chasing his sixth PMC Final. He scored with Danish Twist (2016), Serene Miss (2018) and Cristal Breeze (2021) when the series was for provincial trainers only.

He then completed a hat-trick with Kinloch in 2022 and Spangler in 2023 when Midway trainers were included in the annual series.

Meanwhile, Lord Of Biscay’s stablemate Rivellino has completed his first racing campaign after finishing a gallant fifth in yesterday’s Group 1 Inglis Sires (1400m) at Randwick.

He didn’t have the clearest of passages, sandwiched between two other runners for some distance in the straight, and was beaten less than a length.

Rivellino won’t go to the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday week, and has done a terrific job from his five starts, winning his first three and also finishing fourth in the $5m Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 22.

He goes for a well-earned rest with earnings of nearly $1.7m.

Deamer, meanwhile, was in the winning list at Taree yesterday, with Yamba’s Girl ($2.05 favorite) in the Benchmark 50 Handicap (1624m).

Fellow provincial trainers Barry Lawrence (Newcastle) and Mark Howard (Wyong) also were Taree winners.

Lawrence took the Benchmark 50 Handicap (1012m) with Take The Jackpot ($4.80), and Howard won the Maiden Handicap (1270m) with Moden ($5.50).

. The latest TAB.com.au market on the PMC Final is:

$4.50 Matcha Latte

6 Lord Of Biscay

8 Welcometobarbados, Well Timed

11 Bojangles, Rapt

15 French Ruler, Magnatear, Mogul Monarch, Money Team

26 Art Volant, Broadway Bouncer, Imposant

51 Mahogany Girl, Vintage Choice   

Story John Curtis, April 6, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos