Hometown hopes aiming to defend Newcastle's honour in the Cup

Jack Marshall - Thursday September 14

Newcastle trainer Kris Lees will be searching for an elusive first win in the Newcastle Cup on Friday.

Kris Lees. Photo: Steve Hart

Despite winning Group Is all around Australia, Lees has never tasted success in the feature race in his hometown.

"It's a race I've always wanted to win and it would be a great thrill to win my hometown cup," Lees said.

This year Lees will saddle up three chances in the race with Admiral Jello, Wahng Wah and Doukhan all coming out of the same lead up race over 2000m at Randwick on September 2, which was won by Up 'N' Rolling.

Admiral Jello finished third that day and is the horse the trainer believes is his best chance to take out this year's $175,000 Group III Newcastle Gold Cup.

"This is the race he has been set for all along with the blinkers going back on and he receives a significant drop in weight from his previous runs," Lees said.

"He will run well, it's just a matter if he has the class for this type of race.

"There doesn't seem to be a great deal of speed in the race so I'd love to see him come across and settle midfield."

Another of the stable runners Wahng Wah is a consistent mare that steps up to the 2000m trip for the first time.

"She's been racing very consistently and had been surprising us the way she keeps getting over more ground," Lees said.

"She is definitely a sneaky chance at odds."

Rounding out the trio of Lees' runners is the veteran galloper Doukhan. The nine-year-old is second-up after almost a year.

"It was a really good run first-up, whether or not he needs another run under his belt time will tell but he took a great deal of benefit from that run," Lees said.

"It wouldn't be the biggest shock to see him run into some prizemoney."

Advertisment
More Reading...
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for So You Think
The Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) for three year-olds on Cup Day at Flemington drew a competitive field of up and comers with So You Think gelding Opening Address stamping himself as a bright prospect for the future with a stylish victory.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.