Danish Twist claims G3 Dark Jewel Classic
Kris Lees has his sights on more black type with Danish Twist after she overcame a tough run to win the Group Three Dark Jewel Classic at Scone.
Lees finished with the quinella with Onemorezeta ranging up to her stablemate before weakening slightly to run second.
For jockey Tim Clark, he made the most of another late opportunity to add the Dark Jewel to his Scone Cup win 24 hours earlier.
Pajaro was a pick-up ride in the Cup when Winona Costin called in sick and he was the replacement jockey on Danish Twist when Brenton Avdulla was suspended.
Lees intends aiming Danish Twist at the Group One Tattersalls Tiara at Eagle Farm on June 25, the last Group One race of the Australian season.
“It is still a fair way off but she deserves her chance in the race,” Lees said.
“She will need another run in the meantime but I have no idea what it will be.
“She will go out to the farm for a week to recover and do some work on the water walker and spend each day in a yard.
“She really appreciates that.”
Clark appeared to be having an uncomfortable ride when four deep without cover with the mare throwing her head around but Lees said it was not as bad it appeared.
“She is a different mare when she does not have cover but is probably not going as fierce as it looks, so the jockeys tell me,” Lees said.
“She has an awkward action of getting her head up but she finishes her races off well.
“A mare in form is pretty hard to stop and she is a pleasure to train.”
Danish Twist, the $4.80 favourite, sustained her long run by circling the field then hitting the lead in the straight and holding off Onemorezeta ($12) to win by 1-1/2 lengths with Press Report ($14) a short head away third.