Protectionist commenced his Melbourne Cup defence with a narrow win in a barrier trial at Newcastle on Monday.

Hugh Bowman travelled to Broadmeadow to partner the Kris Lees-trained German import in his first trial of a campaign again aimed at the first Tuesday in November.

Allowed to settle in the second half of the field in the 1200 metre heat, Bowman pulled Protectionist wide on the home turn where he loomed up on straightening.

The stallion was pushed along to make steady ground down the entire straight to win narrowly.

It was Protectionist’s second public outing of the spring after an exhibition gallop at Broadmeadow earlier this month.

Off the scene since a disappointing seventh in the Sydney Cup, Protectionist is likely to resume in the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick on Saturday week.

Lees has tentatively mapped a program that would see him run second-up in the Hill Stakes before heading to Melbourne, where he may again use the Herbert Power as his final Melbourne Cup lead-up in a repeat of last year’s preparation under Andreas Wohler.

Protectionist is on the third line of betting at $17 with the TAB to win back-to-back Melbourne Cups.

Lees’ other stable star Lucia Valentina also produced a solid performance in her trial at Newcastle.

The Group 1-winning mare had been beaten more than 16 lengths in her first trial of the spring but looked much sharper on Monday.

The mare jumped well in her heat but eased back to the tail for Brenton Avdulla.

Pulled wide in the straight, Lucia Valentina made good ground in the run home under no pressure to hit the line just behind the placegetters in a blanket finish.

Lucia Valentina is also likely to resume at Randwick on Saturday week in the Tramway Handicap, the race she won first-up last year.

The Cox Plate could be her main target of the spring, for which she is a $21 chance with the TAB.