John Schell
Jockey Ashley Morgan will link with top Newcastle trainer Kris Lees at Port Macquarie on Tuesday with two key chances set to perform well.
While Lees has five runners at the meeting, Morgan is booked to partner what appears to be the best of them: Crathie Kirk in the BNCC Thanks Nardi Beresford F&M Class 1 Handicap (1200m) and Excessor in the Chris Cousens C, G & E Class 1 Handicap (1200m).
Lees has only sent Crathie Kirk to the races three times and scratched the daughter of Ole Kirk from a Beaumont track assignment on Monday to run in the Port Macquarie event.
โSheโs a progressive filly that has performed well in each of her runs,โ Lees said. โHer fourth on debut at Hawkesbury was good. She followed that up with a sound third at Muswellbrook. And then she broke through in good style at Scone when running home strongly over 1400m.โ
Crathie Kirk has not raced since November, but Lees has given her two barrier trials to prepare for her resuming effort.
โHer latest trial was at Wyong on March 5, and she ran third in that and is nice and fresh for Tuesday,โ Lees said. โIโm expecting her to run a really good race. Sheโs drawn awkwardly but has the class to overcome it.โ
Excessor is also a last-start winner for Lees, with the Exceedance gelding scoring at Tamworth at his second start earlier this month.
โHeโs a nice horse as well,โ Lees said. โHis debut run was very good when finishing sixth at Tamworth but beaten less than a length. And he followed it up with a strong win at the same track.
โHeโs also heading in the right direction and should be in the firing line again at Port Macquarie.โ
Lees will open the day at Port Macquarie when Hellavalegacy contests the Janice Walker Maide Plate (1000m) with Andrew Gibbons taking the ride. He will have two runners in the Cousens Honour Maiden Plate (1500m) with Varius to be ridden by apprentice Shannen Llewellyn and Power Cruise to be partnered by Gibbons.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
