KRIS Lees will get an extra special “kick” if he wins with his first 2024 runner at Canterbury today.
The leading Newcastle trainer’s eldest son and employee Marshall is a part-owner of lightly-raced Viaconi (Dylan Gibbons), an odds-on favorite for the 3YO Maiden Plate (1200m) for colts and geldings.
“This is the first horse Marshall has been involved in, and naturally it would be great to win with Viaconi,” Lees said.
“He was good on debut when second in an 1100m Maiden at the Canterbury night meeting on December 15, and has taken nice improvement from the run.
“That was against older horses (the winner Chartwell is a four-year-old), and he comes back to his own age and sex and drops 1.5kg.
“From his inside barrier, he should be hard to beat.”
Lees has taken his time with Viaconi, a son of Nicconi, who fetched $160,000 at the 2022 Inglis Classic yearling sale.
He also accepted with him in a Super Maiden Handicap (1200m) at Gosford yesterday, where he had 59kg topweight (3kg more than at Canterbury).
Lees has five Canterbury acceptors to begin the new year, but has withdrawn Bangetta and Orlabent from their respective races.
He was pleased to learn of four withdrawals from the $200,000 Listed Canterbury Sprint (1200m), where he has another favorite Brudenell (Gibbons) engaged.
“It will certainly help now that the field has been reduced to seven, as Brudenell drew the outside barrier,” he said.
“He has trained on nicely since winning a Benchmark 88 Handicap (1100m) – runner-up Lady Laguna won a Listed race against her own sex at Doomben last Saturday - at Randwick on December 9.
“This is his first test in open company, but he won his only start at Canterbury last February when he led throughout, and comes down 5kg on his last run going up in class.”
Tommy Berry rides Yankee Hussel in the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1900m) after partnering her to a Gosford Class 1 Plate victory last month.
“With five scratchings, Yankee Hussel comes into barrier six in a field of 10, and deserves her chance going back to town after scoring over 2100m on December 7,” Lees said.
“She comes back in distance and goes up in weight (to 61.5kg), but isn’t without a chance again.”
Lees’ is giving last week’s impressive Eagle Farm Listed Bernborough Plate (1600m) winner Acquitted a freshen up prior to the Sydney autumn carnival.
It was the import’s fourth Australian victory, but the accomplished wet tracker’s first on a good surface here.
Stablemate Willinga Freefall, who ran an excellent second in a Benchmark 85 Handicap (1400m) from a wide alley at that Eagle Farm meeting, will be given another shot at the Provincial-Midway Championships in autumn.
He qualified for the final earlier this year, but drew poorly and finished 11th to stablemate Spangler.
Story John Curtis, December 31, 2023 - Pics supplied
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