Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Trainer Kris Lees says the boom on Tavi Time a year ago was potentially a bit premature.

Kris Lees with The Big Dance trophy (Pic: Steve Hart)

The six-year-old started favourite in the $3 million Big Dance (1600m) last year and ran a respectable fourth behind Gringotts and Lees said a year on he’s a better product.

He’ll need to be, as the Scone Cup winner rises 4kg to carry 57kg and will meet top weight Gringotts again with a similar weight differential.

“He got in well at the weights last year, he had a bit of a boom on him early with a good win record in questionable company but he’s going very good now and he will run well,’’ Lees said.

“He is a touch under the radar this year. I think he’s going as good if not possibly better.”

Tavi Time, $6.50 with TAB on Sunday, will head to Randwick third-up after resuming in the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1500m) where he ran fourth behind Headley Grange and another closing fifth in the $1.5m Alan Brown (1400m) chasing home the same horse.

He’ll meet the winner of those races 2.5kg better for a 1-1/2 length defeat at their last meeting.

“His lead up runs have all been geared toward this race and he’s come up with a nice gate,’’ Lees said.

“He probably doesn’t want any more weight than what he’s carrying but he gets away from those top ones quite well so he looks to get his chance.”

The Newcastle trainer warns stablemate Lord Of Biscay shouldn’t be discounted after his Big Dance campaign was put back on track third-up.

The Ballina Cup winner produced an eye-catcher first-up but Lees was disappointed with his second-up failure, while he did pull up with excuses, before he ran a pleasing third behind Kerguelen on Everest Day.

“It was concerning but he certainly bounced back well the other day,’’ he said.

“He drops to 53kg so he’ll benefit from that. He qualified through the Ballina Cup, it’s 1590m so he’s never been to a mile in Australia but everything suggests to me he’ll run it.

“Tavi Time has the better profile but at the weights there’s not much between them.”

Lees won the inaugural Big Dance with Rustic Steel and he’ll also be eyeing a second win in the $750,000 Little Dance (1600m), following Spangler in 2023, with Little Beginnings and Barazin lining up in the consolation.

The former was a last start winner at Warwick Farm in mid-October and while he’s twice raced at 1550m at Canterbury he’s yet to be tried at 1600m.

“He’s questionable at the mile, he qualified through as 1400m Mudgee Cup,’’ Lees said.

“We’ve always geared to have him try and peak and run out a strong mile and he’ll get his chance.”

Barazin started favourite when runner-up to Imperialist in the Taree Cup (2000m) at his last start and Lees hopes he can be effective down in distance.

Tavi Time runs fourth in the Alan Brown at Rosehill

“He’s coming back in trip, we’ve kept him fresh and he has blinkers first time. He’s more than capable on his day,’’ he said.

Kris Lees on Tasoraay (race 4): “He seems to be coming up well with a couple nice soft trials. He has a good fresh record and he could figure there despite his weight. It’s worth a bit of money so it’s an attractive option.”

All the fields, form and replays for Tuesday's Big Dance meeting at Randwick