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By Ray Hickson

If what trainer Kris Lees’s last winner of the San Domenico Stakes went on to achieve in his three-year-old spring is any pointer then what lies ahead for Rivellino after Saturday could be interesting.

Trainer Kris Lees (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The horse in question is Graff who won the Group 3 $250,000 Smithfield RSL San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill in 2018 with a record, albeit an unbeaten one, Lees rates as inferior to his 2025 rep.

While Graff didn’t win again until the spring of 2020, in 2018 he was runner-up in the Run To The Rose, third behind The Autumn Sun in the Golden Rose, and ran fifth as an $8 chance in the TAB Everest.

That’s not to say Rivellino is on an Everest path at the moment but Lees said if the colt can improve on what he achieved in his first preparation who knows what the future holds.

“Graff was favourite for the Sires in Brisbane and went to the paddock and came back to win this,’’ Lees said.

“He hadn’t been beaten at the time but he hadn’t raced at the level this horse competed at as a two-year-old.

“Like all of them you want to see how they come back. I can see no reason why he hasn’t come back off his two trials and his trackwork.

“His regular rider and two trial jockeys have indicated as such so I’m looking forward to Saturday with him.”

Rivellino won his first three starts including the Inglis Millennium where he defeated Within The Law and the Group 2 Skyline Stakes where he outpointed Skyhook before running fourth in the Golden Slipper and fifth in the ATC Sires’.

Lees said he couldn’t have done a lot more in his first preparation and while he’ll never be a big, imposing, creature he’s developed to the trainer’s liking in his break.

In his latest trial the Too Darn Hot colt sat wide and finished third behind TAB Everest third favourite Briasa in a 900m heat at Canterbury and Lees doesn’t mind jumping from the inside barrier.

“He was never a real big horse, probably more typical of the sire stock which is fine,’’ Lees said.

“He’s just a racehorse for mine, he looks the part to me.

“I can’t fault him, he’s got plenty of room for improvement off the run which I’m sure they all would.

“I’d expect him to be competitive and set up nicely for the campaign.”

Like Graff did seven years ago, Rivellino ($8.50 with TAB on Thursday) will head to the Run To The Rose in two weeks then into the Group 1 Golden Rose on September 27 where he’s currently an $18 chance.

Stablemate Lord Of Biscay kicks off his Big Dance campaign in the ClubsNSW Handicap (1200m) and Lees is a little resigned to running from the wide barrier.

While that doesn’t help his chances of a first-up win he said it wouldn’t harm his build up to the $3 million race, run on November 4, as he can settle off the speed and look to hit the line.

Lord Of Biscay is a $13 chance in the Big Dance and he’s in the fortunate position of having already locked away his eligibility from his win in the Ballina Cup back in January.

“He seems to be going really well, he’s on a Big Dance path and he does need to start at some stage,’’ he said.

Rivellino runs third in a Canterbury trial on August 18

“He’s at that tricky rating band where there’s not a huge amount of options unless you go to a stakes race.

“He’ll get back and run on and it’ll come down to how the track is playing. If they can run on he will.”

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