A Wyong trial on Monday was the first public appearance from Kris Leesâ Cantala Stakes winner Le Romain who heads towards the Doncaster Mile 2017 this autumn in Sydney.
Two-time Group 1 winner Le Romain targets the 2017 Doncaster Mile this Sydney at Royal Randwick. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The son of Hard Spun first hit headlines last Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival when scoring an upset win at $17 odds in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m).
He returns to the Royal Randwick mile again this season looking for more elite level success with the $3 million Group 1 The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) on April 1 during âThe Championshipsâ earmarked as his major campaign aim.
The four-year-old became a dual Group 1 winner last time out at Flemington on Derby Day during the Melbourne Cup Carnival winning the Cantala Stakes (1600m) and trialled for the first time since on Monday morning.
The Newcastle-based Lees took Le Romain to Wyong for an open 845m hit-out where the horse, ridden by Mathew Scorse, finished one and a half-lengths second behind the Kim Waugh-trained Stryke A Ransom.
“It was small field and they went very slowly but he was only ever out to have a soft trial,” Lees told Racing NSW.
“Mathew reported that he felt really well which is quite encouraging.
“You like to see them come out of their three-year-old season and compete at the highest level and he’s been able to do that.
“And we have to race in that type of company from now on.”
Lees is yet to prepare a Doncaster Mile winner and Le Romain is the current $11 second elect in futures betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for the rich handicap clash.
The galloperâs exact autumn path is yet to be finalised but Lees said the likely first-up aim was the $150,000 Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) on February 11.
Equal $10 favourites in the all-in Doncaster Mile odds are the John OâShea-trained Epsom Handicap winner Hauraki and Chris Wallerâs Golden Rose runner-up Omei Sword.
Waller has dominated the Doncaster Mile results over the past decade preparing seven of the last nine winners including the past four on the trot with: Sacred Falls (2013-14), Kermadec (2015) and his history making mare Winx (2016).
Winx wonât be defending her Doncaster Mile crown this autumn, the last start Cox Plate winner sticking to weight-for-age races.
She trialled on Tuesday morning at Rosehill ahead of her first-up run on February 11 in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) finishing an easy third behind Bjorn Bakerâs Doomben 10,000 winner Music Magnate.
The daughter of Street Cry will have her major autumn run on April 8 in the $4 million Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), for which she is already odds-on at $1.90 to win.
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