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Longer Option Suits Attention Run At Randwick

3 minute read

Trainer Kris Lees has taken the longer option with last start winner Attention Run at Randwick on Saturday with a view to determining spring plans for the promising import.

ATTENTION RUN winning at Randwick. Picture: Steve Hart

Lees has chosen to start Attention Run over 1800m in BM 78 class rather than run the former German mare in the stronger BM 88 over 1600m.

Attention Run  made an impressive Australian debut at Randwick on July 6 when successful in a similar race over 1600m on a Heavy 9 surface at her first start in almost a year.

"Kris will know where he is at with Attention Run after this race," stable spokesman Lucas Miller said.

"It took a while to get her to the races because of an attitude, but she has been great since winning at Randwick.

"She has trained on well and should be hard to beat."

Lees also decided to run another mare Milseain (Hugh Bowman) in Attention Run's race.

"She has raced well on heavy ground before so Kris decided to run her at Randwick," Miller explained.

Hugh Bowman will be a new rider for the promising Lifetime Quest in the NSW Trainers Association BM 70 Handicap (1200m) for three and four-year-olds.

The lightly-raced four-year-old has not finished further back than second in six starts; his sole win being in a Gosford maiden in January.

He has raced twice since resuming, and was unlucky under 60kg when narrowly beaten first-up at Newcastle on June 29 before finding Rare Episode a bit too swift when again runner-up at Warwick Farm on July 17.

"Lifetime Quest has trained on well since the Warwick Farm race, and this does look suitable for him to break through," Miller said.

Meanwhile Lees has sent last start Taree maiden winner Cerinthe Belle to Brisbane for the 3YO Handicap (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday, and Larry Cassidy will ride her.

At only her second start, Cerinthe Belle easily won a 2YO Maiden over 1250m at Taree on July 19, beating Sydney Saturday placegetter Oh So Hot.

"She was never going to lose at Taree, and Kris didn't hesitate to send her north when it looked a skinny race," Miller said.

"Obviously, it's a rise in class but she is a filly who made great improvement from her first start at Muswellbrook."

Lees has six representatives at the Doomben meeting, and Larry Cassidy will partner four of them.

As well as Cerinthe Belle, he also rides Power Command (1050m Class 6 Handicap), Exdream (1350m Benchmark 70 Handicap) and Guard Of Honour (1200m Handicap).

Michael Cahill will ride Intrinsic in the Class 3 Plate (1200m), and Ryan Wiggins has the mount on Tawfiq Boy in the Benchmark 85 Handicap (1350m).