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Lees Hoping Wallaby's Bound For Better Things

By Ray Hickson

You can’t do anything more than win and that’s something Oakfield Wallaby has made a habit of since joining the Kris Lees stable.

Trainer Kris Lees (Pic: Steve Hart)

And with five wins from six starts for the Newcastle trainer, the mare’s casual approach to trackwork but penchant for winning on race day is making it hard for Lees to work out where her level is.

Oakfield Wallaby chases successive city wins in the Stud & Stable Staff Awards Handicap (1800m) at Kensington on Wednesday.

“We’ve got to try and place her where she’s best suited,’’ Lees said.

“She doesn’t show us much at home so it’s hard to get too enthusiastic but she brings it to the races.”

The four-year-old, $5 with TAB on Tuesday, has already won up to 2200m but Lees elected to stay at the 1800m at Kensington and give her the chance to back up that last start win over the same course.

Her ability to stay came in handy in her latest win where she had last call, after a few early moves, and was able to run down Tympanist to score by a length.

She rises to 60.5kg and meets that horse 2.5kg worse so Lees said it will be a good test for her.

“She’s doing a really good job, she can stick and get over a bit of ground,’’ he said.

“We gave her plenty of time to get over her first up run but two weeks is suitable for her now.

“We’ll just give her the chance to go through the grades steadily which she’s done very well.

“It’s similar grade but up a bit in weight. She’s won over further so we’ll step her up again off the back of this.”

Lees is prepared to be a little forgiving of Infancy’s latest effort as he feels he’s found a nice race for the filly in the TAB Handicap – Heat Of The Rising Star (1250m) where stable apprentice Dylan Gibbons has the ride.

Infancy signalled she was close to a win with a game second-up third behind smart stablemate Chilli Filly but didn’t reproduce it up in class behind High Blue Sea at Rosehill.

“I’ve got to say I thought she was a touch disappointing last start but she had to do a bit of work early so that could have contributed,’’ he said.

“We scratched from Saturday and she’s got the nice gate, she should get a nice run off the speed and she should run well.”

Meanwhile, promising import Age Of Sail is set to have his second Australian start at Rosehill this Saturday and Lees is looking forward to seeing how he performs up to 2000m.


Oakfield Wallaby wins at Kensington on January 17

The Frankel gelding posted a win over a mile at Warwick Farm on January 10, with a rails hugging ride from Nash Rawiller getting him home.

“It was a nice tough win and Nash stays on so touch wood he can reproduce it,’’ he said.

“He’s been given plenty of time to get over the run, he looks well and he should race well again.”

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday's Kensington meeting

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