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By Ray Hickson

Since January, trainer Kris Lees has had two 2025 targets for lightly raced import Lord Of Biscay – the Provincial-Midway Championships and the Big Dance.

Trainer Kris Lees (Pic: Bradley Photos).

He fell agonisingly close to hitting the bullseye in the former, going down narrowly to Matcha Latte in the Final, and he says a win in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday will put him in the frame as a major chance in the latter.

Lord Of Biscay gained his eligibility for the $3m Big Dance (1600m), run on November 4, when he claimed the Ballina Cup back on January 17 and with an 88 rating, based on last year, appears likely to be in the field at this stage.

“He’s a progressive horse and he’ll be in (the Big Dance) before the handicapper gets hold of him,’’ Lees said.

“It’s getting a better race because some higher quality races were added to the qualifiers.

“This looks a nice race for him and hopefully he is on target to be a lightweight chance in a Big Dance.”

The six-year-old, $2.70 with TAB on Thursday and $11 in the Big Dance, hasn’t raced for a month since he ran a closing third over 1200m at Rosehill.

It was a race he needed to have to get his preparation started and Lees said given he jumped from the outside barrier he couldn’t have done anything more to show he’d returned in order.

“It was a really pleasing run,’’ he said.

“When you’re first up and drawn the outside unless you’re a proper speed horse you’re nearly obliged to take your medicine, which he had to, but he was still good.”

Lees won the inaugural Big Dance with Rustic Steel in 2022. He said Saturday’s race appears to be ideal for Lord Of Biscay who will jump from the inside barrier this time with James McDonald staying on board.

“I’ve given him four weeks to get over the run and a tickover mid prep trial,’’ he said.

“Without overdoing it he should get the right style of run from a good draw.”

The outside barrier in itself doesn’t bother Lees for Rivellino’s shot at the Group 1 $1 million Yulong Golden Rose (1400m) it’s more the size of the field that he says will make it trickier.

Rivellino hasn’t featured in the finish of his two runs this spring, he was sixth in the Run To The Rose two weeks ago, but as far as a preparation for the Group 1 goes Lees said it’s been otherwise smooth.

“In a perfect world I probably would have preferred a bigger field which would have guaranteed a more genuinely run race,’’ he said.

“Rosehill at any time in small fields they find their positions and it’s hard for the backmarkers.

“He can be a touch tardy away, I don’t dislike him drawing a little wide.

Maquisa runs fourth at Kensington on August 27

“In his two good wins, the Millennium and the Skyline, he’s come down the outside but Nash (Rawiller) can work it out on how he steps.”

Kris Lees on Cleveland (race 3): “His first-up run was a pass mark. The leader was well out in front and he wasn’t forward enough to get involved chasing too early. He had two nice runs over the autumn which suggested since he’s been gelded he’s come back okay. He might just need this run to bring him right on looking at him coat wise.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Golden Rose meeting at Rosehill