Newcastle trainer Kris Lees is used to winning country cups around the state, so it is no surprise he has four runners in Tuesday’s Big Dance, but he is still getting used to the idea of having Frankie Dettori riding the favourite Hosier in the $2 million showcase.
Hosier owner Lloyd Williams’ association with the world’s most famous jockey sees Dettori riding over the Randwick mile for the first time on Tuesday, instead of trying to win the Melbourne Cup at Flemington.
“I never thought I would have Frankie Dettori riding a favourite for me in a $2 million race,” Lees said. “It would be some story to tell if he could be doing a star jump for us on Tuesday.
“It’s quite exciting because a couple of months ago I didn’t know where Hosier would fit in.
“When he arrived I thought ‘we will just find the right race for him’ and two starts later he is in the Big Dance running for $2 million.”
Hosier is unbeaten for Lees, winning his place in the Big Dance in August’s Coffs Harbour Cup on his preferred soft ground, on debut for the Newcastle yard, before scoring again on a wet Randwick.
Frankie Dettori, who rides Hosier in the Big Dance on Tuesday, performs his trademark star jump dismount two decades ago.Credit:Ray Kennedy
It has Lees looking to the sky hoping for rain leading into Tuesday.
“The reason Hosier came to me was he needs soft ground to show his best,” Lees said. “I’m hoping we get the rain they predicted on Monday to take the edge off the track.
“He hasn’t done anything wrong for us yet, and he will run well on Tuesday, even from the wide draw [of barrier 20].”
Dettori had no luck at Rosehill on Saturday with his Golden Eagle ride Welwal copping severe interference for which Jamie Kah was suspended. But the flamboyant hoop still has the drive to win a big race for his friend Williams.
Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has four runners in Tuesday’s Big Dance at Randwick.Credit:Getty
“It would be great to win a Big Dance for him over here because he has been a good friend for so many years,” Dettori said.
Lees will saddle three other Cup winners in the Big Dance — Spanish Point from Lismore, Kedah from Ballina and Rustic Steel, who won at Scone — showing the wide net his stable casts in the northern part of the state.
“I probably only have the two genuine chances, but Kedah and Spanish Point earned the right to be there as well,” Lees said.
“We have given Rustic Steel three runs to be ready for the mile and I thought he was all right from the back in the field in the Five Diamonds Prelude.
“He drew better than Hosier and from the gate [of seven] I think he should be able to push forward and be right in the race.”
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