Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist will return to the scene of his greatest triumph with a new rider at Flemington on Sunday.
Trainer Kris Lees confirmed that the former German stayer had arrived safely in Melbourne after an Sunday night float trip from his Broadmeadow stable and that Brenton Avdulla will be his new rider in Sunday’s $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m).
Christian Reith has partnered Protectionist in his two Sydney starts since resuming at Randwick in the Tramway Stakes (1400m) on September 5 and George Main Stakes (1600m) on September 19.
Lees won last year’s Turnbull with Lucia Valentina, who is staying in Sydney to run in Saturday’s $1 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick with Zac Purton flying from Hong Kong to take the mount.
Lees sees the Turnbull Stakes as an important step towards Protectionist defending his Melbourne Cup crown at Flemington in November.
“The horse arrived in Melbourne in good order and will definitely run in the Turnbull,” Lees said.
“He will also run in the Caulfield Cup as his final lead-up to his main goal.”
English jockey Ryan Moore rode Protectionist (then under the care of German trainer Andreas Wohler) when he romped home under 56.5kg in last year’s Melbourne Cup.
He has to carry an additional 1.5kg in this year’s $6 million race on November 3.
Lees said no decision has yet been made on a Melbourne Cup rider for the powerful stayer but Avdulla’s Turnbull booking could make him the front runner for the mount as the in-form jockey has built a successful association with both Lees and Protectionist’s owners Australian Bloodstock.
Lees opted to keep Lucia Valentina at home and run in Saturday’s Epsom rather than go to Melbourne early for her Cox Plate lead-up.
Purton’s booking also puts him in line to ride the mare in the $3 million WS Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 24.
He last rode for Lees when placed on Fine Bubbles behind the recently-retired Avoid Lightning in the G2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in April during The Championships.
Lees is yet to decide whether to run Newcastle Cup fourth placegetter Oriental Lady in Saturday’s $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick or send the mare to Melbourne for a start at Cranbourne next week.
The options are the $100,000 Pinker Plate (2025m) against her own sex at the Cranbourne night meeting on Friday week or the $300,000 Cranbourne Cup over the same distance two days later.
Stablemate Rio Perdido, who couldn’t repeat his third in the G3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) on September 18 when he failed at Rosehill last Saturday, will be given a short break.
