3 minute read
Kris Lees has warned punters to “hold fire” on backing Mugatoo to win the $2m Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick on April 11.
The Australian Bloodstock import made it two impressive wins from as many Australian starts on the Kensington track yesterday, making light of his 60kg to easily dispose of five rivals in a Benchmark 76 Handicap (1800m).
TAB.com.au market assessors reacted to the victory by rushing his price into the second line of betting at $11 behind $8 co-favorites Carif, Master of Wine and Shared Ambition.
"Mugatoo is obviously very promising, but I wouldn't be backing him yet to win the Sydney Cup," Lees said this afternoon.
"There's a long way to go.
"I'm undecided at present about his next run, but he may go to a stakes race in a couple of weeks."
Whilst Mugatoo's two wins from his first six starts in the UK were over middle distances (2334m at Lingfield Park in May, 2018 and 2922m at Doncaster 12 months later), the lightly-raced gelding has settled into Australian racing as though he has been here all his life.
"He has shown the freshness in his legs in his work, so both his wins (the first in a Benchmark 88 Handicap over 1600m at Randwick on January 26) have been very encouraging.
"It's one race at a time with him."
Meanwhile, Lees will open his bid to win the next edition of the annual Provincial Championships series on his home track at Newcastle on Saturday week with a number of runners.
"My main representatives will be Occupy (the Summer Provincial Series winner) and Stella Sea Sun, but Jack's Bar and Da Power are other possibilities to line up," he said.
The $150,000 opening qualifier to be run over 1400m provides the three placegetters with berths in the field for the $500,000 Final (1400m) at Randwick on April 11.
Lees has won nine heats (Turnberry, Princess Posh, Serene Miss, Just Dreaming, Clevedon Bay, Rustic Melody, Zestful, Magic Of Dreams and Powerline) since the series was launched in 2015, and landed the Final twice with Danish Twist (2016) and Serene Miss (2018).
Occupy and Stella Sea Sun are on the second line of betting at $15 with a number of other contenders (including stablemates Asharani and Frankely Awesome) in the current TAB market. Wyong-trained Trumbull is the early $11 top fancy.
. Lees will have a better guide on a Provincial Championships path for Albert's No Pussy after he races at Canterbury tomorrow night.
The gelding will contest the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1250m), but faces a stern task with 59kg after Sam Clenton's claim and a wide barrier.
"It is going to be tough for him to win first-up from the draw, but he is definitely deserving of contesting a heat of the Championships in the coming weeks," Lees said.
Azarmin is not a certain starter in the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1900m), and Power Command has been withdrawn from the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1100m) for mares – in which Lees will rely on Magnolia Power (Clenton) – to tackle the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m), with Brenton Avdulla to ride.
. Lees has three runners at Saturday's Eagle Farm meeting – and all are in the same race.
He starts Mawaany Machine (Larry Cassidy), Turnberry (Andrew Mallyon) and Admiral Jello (James Orman) in the One Metropolitan Win Handicap (1600m) in the last 12 months, and considers Turnberry is the pick of the trio.
