STABLEMATES Kalapour and Adelaide River are on Caulfield Cup paths if they race up to expectations at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Kris Lees pair will be opponents in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m), with the latter perhaps having the edge in spite of his awkward draw.
Adelaide River ran easily his best race in Australia at his third start for Lees when an encouraging fourth to Buckaroo in the Group 2 wfa Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 7, whilst autumn’s Group 1 Tancred Stakes winner Kalapour also was an encouraging fourth in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 31 at his first start since his gallant Sydney Cup (3200m) placing at Randwick in April.
“Adelaide River’s draw dented my confidence a bit, but I still think he is the pick of our pair,” Lees said on Thursday afternoon.
“He has trained on nicely since the Chelmsford, comes back to a set weights and penalties race and going to 2000m suits him better.
“Kalapour is well weighted with 58kg under the conditions given he is a Group 1 winner and is going nicely, but this run will bring him on further.
“I’m hoping both horses can get to the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 19.
“Adelaide River most likely will go next to the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 5, and then the Caulfield Cup a week later.
“Kalapour may go to the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on October 5 on his way to the Caulfield Cup.”
There is 2k separating the pair in the Kingston Town, and currently the same in the Caulfield Cup, where Kalapour has 55kg and Adelaide River 53kg.
Nash Rawiller rides Kalapour in the Kingston Town, and Dylan Gibbons partners Adelaide River.
Lees has taken winkers off inaugural The Big Dance winner Rustic Steel for his resumption in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) at Randwick.
But he says this assignment won’t be as easy as when he also resumed at home in March and easily won the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes (1400m).
“Rustic Steel won’t get control of this race as he did at Newcastle as the depth is stronger,” Lees said.
“But he is coming along nicely, and can run well.”
Lees also runs Miss Busslinger (Andrew Gibbons) in the Nick Moraitis Trophy (Benchmark 78 Handicap, 1400m).
“She can definitely turn her form around on her first-up unplaced run in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) against her own age at Randwick on August 24,” he said.
“However, she is a three-year-old taking on older horses, but has good weight relief and an inside draw.”
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Lees has only one runner – Powerful Peg (Andrew Mallyon) in the Pink Ribbon F&M Benchmark 85 Handicap (1200m) – at the metropolitan meeting at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
“Powerful Peg is first-up but going really well and I expect her to run well,” he said.
. Fellow Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle not surprisingly has won more races (49) on his home track in a career tally of 269 – but is yet to clinch a feature success at Broadmeadow.
He gets his chance to change that on Friday with track specialist Overriding in the $250,000 Group 3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at the Gold Cup meeting on Friday.
Kerrin McEvoy rides Overriding, who is unbeaten in four starts at Newcastle; the latest in the Muswellbrook Cup (1500m), which was transferred here in April.
“Two of her four wins at home have been second up,” Doyle’s racing manager David Dyson said.
“Overriding was beaten only one and a half lengths when a closing sixth in a Benchmark 88 Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill on August 31,” Dyson said.
“She has worked well since, has a good barrier and a top jockey (McEvoy) in the Tibbie.”
Story John Curtis, September 19, 2024
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