‘Can’t line it up’: Kris Lees scratching his head over trial form in The Debut

If punters are struggling to line up the form for Friday night’s The Debut, Kris Lees is no different as his filly aims to lock in a Magic Millions spot.

Kris Lees admits he is guessing when it comes to working out who is who in the Magic Millions The Debut at the Gold Coast on Friday night, saying it will be a matter of who has improved the most since being seen at the trials.

The Newcastle trainer is looking to lock away a spot for Wollzeile in the $3m Magic Millions 2YO Classic by winning on Friday night, with the filly well supported in early betting markets, having shortened from $15 to $10 as soon as they were opened with local hoop Kyle Wilson-Taylor riding.

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With all horses having their first start in the $250,000 contest, in what is the Gold Coast’s first ever meeting under lights, Lees has dived through replays of the trials to try and get a gauge of the race.

“I can’t line it up, I have gone and watched the trials and I haven’t seen anything that has won by a big space,” Lees said.

“It all comes down to who has taken the most improvement out of the trial really.

“It is hard to line up Queensland trial form with Sydney trial form and provincial trials.

“She (Wollzeile) probably has the inferior trial coming out of the provincial trials really.”

Kris Lees has Wollzeile in The Debut on Friday night. Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

After a wet and wild week in southeast Queensland, the new Gold Coast track is expected to be in top condition by Friday night, with two clear days of sunshine.

Lees said the advantage of an inside barrier will go a long way for his filly in a field of inexperienced horses.

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“We get them under race conditions now, under lights, so there are a few variables which will sort some of them out,” he said.

“Our filly drawing a soft gate is an advantage for two-year-olds and this track is still new so there will probably be an advantage to get forward on the fence, so hopefully we can land there.

“Her trial would suggest that she would need to have improved, but I think she has done that.”

Originally published as ‘Can’t line it up’: Kris Lees scratching his head over trial form in The Debut