Kris Lees looks at Loch Eagle’s rivals for a $1 million prize at Randwick on Saturday and knows them all too well from the autumn.
He also knows his Lonhro four-year-old has taken steps forward since, and has the benefit of a Canterbury win heading into the Silver Eagle.
Vilana rounds up Loch Eagle in the South Pacific Classic in April but Kris Lees is confident his charge can turn the tables in the Silver Eagle.Credit:Getty
“These horses ran in the same sort of races in the autumn and in Brisbane, and my bloke was always close enough to them but he needed to improve,” Lees said. “He has. I think he is a different horse to the one that was a couple of lengths from them last prep.
“He had the blinkers on in Sydney in the autumn, and we were riding him a bit differently, but with them off, we’re letting him relax now and find the line, which is working.
“He showed how explosive he can be at Canterbury, which shocked me a bit but makes me confident going to this race.”
Loch Eagle carries form references to Vilana, who narrowly beat him in the South Pacific Classic, and favourite Mr Mozart, which beat him by a couple of lengths in the Hawkesbury Guineas.
Lees took him to Brisbane in the winter, where he ran into Vilana again and Kiss Sum, which had his measure in the Fred Best Quality and Gunsynd Stakes.
“I’m confident my horse is a lot better now, they will have to have improved a bit from Queensland to beat him again,” Lees said.
Mr Mozart, who had no luck when runner-up in the Theo Marks Stakes at his return, is the $3.60 Silver Eagle favourite, but Loch Eagle appeals as the value in the race around the $11 mark.
“He is going to get back, he can handle the ground, but it might come down to how the track is playing,” Lees said. “He is going to be better suited in a couple of weeks in the Golden Eagle over the 1500m because I think he is very strong.”
Earlier in the day, Lees has added the blinkers to two-time group 2 runner-up Willinga Beast as she steps out against the boys in the Roman Consul Stakes after performing well in the Princess Series.
“We have always had them in mind with her but when you are looking to get to a Flight Stakes with a filly, you don’t want to use them,” Lees said. “It was obvious after the Tea Rose [Stakes, where she was grinding fifth] that she wouldn’t stretch out to the mile and this is the perfect opportunity to put them on.
“She has always been a sharp filly and hopefully the blinkers are the difference between running second in the Percy Sykes and Furious Stakes, and winning on Saturday.”
