Danish Twist wins Provincial Championship
With more than half the field in the Provincial Championship Final, trainer Kris Lees admits he didn’t know where to look in the last few metres of the race.
Lees thought he was watching Powerline and the Kim Waugh-trained His Majesty fighting out the finish of Saturday’s $400,000 race at Randwick until the late arrival of the $6 favourite Danish Twist.
The mare nabbed Powerline ($41) to win by a half head with His Majesty ($8) another half length third to give premier Melbourne jockey Damien Oliver his first win in Sydney since Arabian Gold won the Frank Packer Plate two years ago.
“I thought the other one was home,” Lees said.
“And then I saw His Majesty get up along the fence and I don’t think I’ve Danish Twist yet.
“I was concentrating so hard on the other two.”
Until Saturday, Lees hadn’t met most of Danish Twist’s connections because the mare, a half-sister to multiple Group One winner Happy Trails, is owned in South Australia.
“It’s very pleasing. Danish Twist has been set for this race since Christmas.
“The Provincial Championships is a great concept and it gives owners the chance to race for a lot of money which some of these horses don’t get.”
Oliver said he wasn’t sure if he would get there in time on Danish Twist.
“The leader had pinched a good break,” he said.
“It was always going to be close.
“It’s been a while since I rode a winner here in Sydney and it’s nice to get a winner for my old mate Kris Lees.”
The Lees-trained Zestful ($21) finished fourth.