Kris Lees scores Group 2 Missile Stakes quinella
NEWCASTLE-based trainer Kris Lees scored the quinella in the Group 2 Missile Stakes with Invincible Gem upsetting stablemate Le Romain.
Invincible Gem ($6 with Ladbrokes.com.au) was resuming after finishing second in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas in the autumn and it didn’t take long for the four-year-old mare to find its winning groove.
Fresh off doing the Kokoda Trail, winning jockey Corey Brown was able to keep the stablemate Le Romain out three wide and come off its back in the straight. That was ultimately the winning of the race as Invincible Gem had the momentum edge close to the line.
“She won really well,” Brown said. “She had a soft run. They went at a nice clip and she ended up getting the perfect run.
“I just waited for the stablemate to roll up around the home turn… once I brought her out, she took a little bit of time to quicken, but once she hit top gear at the 150m she was always going to run away from there.”
Brown hadn’t ridden the daughter of I Am Invincible in its previous nine starts, but believes it has a bright future this spring.
“She’s a lovely horse. First time I’ve been on her,” he said. “There’s a lot more big wins in store for her.”
Kris Lees was confident of a big fresh up effort for the Spring Stakes champion which continues to rise to the task.
“She’s come back in super order. She’s a high quality mare now and it’s good to see these three-year-old fillies… you never know how they’re going to come back in the early spring,” Lees said.
“Last preparation she kept surprising. I was looking to spell, but she did so well after a win so I kept raising the bar and she handled it every step.”
Lees will target the Golden Pendant before travelling to Melbourne for the Myer Classic at Flemington during the spring carnival.
“The main aim is the Golden Pendant and hopefully get to Melbourne for the Myer,” Lees said. “I was going to go to the Sheraco Stakes, but she might get weighted out of it.”
Lees stated that $2 favourite Le Romain had been working better at home, but a wide run didn’t help its cause.
“He’s probably worked a little better than her at home,” Lees said. “He was exposed all the way which was always a chance of happening.
“He’s in for a good preparation.”