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Kris Lees has called on Glyn Schofield for rejuvenated Singing’s hat-trick bid in Thursday’s Gosford Gold Cup (2100m), and while he realises the import isn’t likely to get the same rain-affected conditions which assisted his recent Doomben victories, he is delighted with the former French horse’s condition.

“Obviously, it is some concern that the track won’t be as giving this time, but I’m really happy with Singing,” Lees said. “He is in really good order. The trips to and from Queensland last month have certainly sparked him up.”

Glyn Schofield: "A very good horseman". Image by Steve Hart Photographics

Now an eight-year-old, Singing’s career has unfortunately been interrupted by recurring problems and he has raced only 25 times. He had not won in Australia before scoring at Doomben over 2000m on December 9 for Tasmanian-based Craig Newitt, and then repeated the dose three weeks later over 2200m at the same track, when ridden by Jeff Lloyd.

Though Doomben was rated a Good 4 on both occasions, rain prior to those meetings took the jar out of the ground. Lees feels expatriate South African, Schofield, is the ideal partner for Singing’s hat-trick attempt.

“Glyn is a very good horseman and I’m sure he will suit Singing,” he said. Lees also will start Slow Pace (Andrew Gibbons) in the Cup. Both horses are raced by Australian Bloodstock and clients.

Meanwhile, Sasso Corbaro has returned home and is having a short break at Lees’s Ellalong Farm in the Lower Hunter before returning to Newcastle at the end of the week.

After two impressive wins (at Hawkesbury and Royal Randwick), she finished sixth to crack young sprinter Pierata in the $2m Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast last Saturday.

“I thought it was an honest enough run,” Lees said. “It probably didn’t work out sitting outside the leader, but we didn’t have much choice from an awkward barrier. That was only her third run this campaign, so there’s no reason not to continue with her.”

Lees is undecided about immediate plans for Sugar Bella, who maintained her unbeaten record for her new trainer when successful over 1400m at Randwick last Saturday.

“I don’t know whether to give her another start or a short break and look at races later in the autumn carnival in Sydney,” he said. “I’ll decide later in the week.”

Miss Fabulass, the Frankel two-year-old out of Lees’s former star Samantha Miss, galloped at Broadmeadow this morning and will trial next at Gosford on January 31. Miss Fabulass was given a little freshen-up after finishing second to Morpheus in a Gosford 800m trial on December 19.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Gosford here