Kensington preview: Kris Lees tempering expectations for Erin Jo’s debut but feels she will run well
Kris Lees’ first and so far only progeny of his beloved champion mare Lucia Valentina will make her much anticipated debut on the Kensington.
Blueblood filly Erin Jo won’t just be flying the flag for her champion mother Lucia Valentina from now on, she will be upholding her legacy given her untimely passing last year aged just 14.
Erin Jo, Lucia Valentina’s fourth and ultimately ‘second to last’ foal, is fittingly housed at the same barn where her mother carved out a reputation as one of the best middle distance mares of her generation.
Among her seven wins were the ATC Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Turnbull and Vinery Stud Stakes.
Lucia Valentina also contested a Melbourne and Caulfield Cup, finishing a heroic third in the latter behind Japanese champion Admire Rakti.
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Lucia Valentina’s 2022 filly by I Am Invincible was a much sought after lot at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
After some spirited bidding, the filly now known as Erin Jo was knocked down to John ‘Singo’ Singleton and handed over to the man who ought to know her best to train.
“She was a nice type (at the sale),” Lees recalled.
“There were some similarities but (Erin Jo) had a bit more substance to her than Mum would have at the similar time.
“Lucia was a bit more finer.
“Erin Jo is going to continue to grow into a nice filly in time.
“Unfortunately Lucia is not with us anymore so hopefully this filly can carry the torch.”
Great racemares can be hit and miss when it comes to producing great racehorses.
For every Urban Sea or Height Of Fashion, there is a Makybe Diva or Black Caviar.
And while Lucia Valentina has only had one winner so far, she has already done more than what most mares achieve in a lifetime at stud given her Snitzel daughter Luella Cristina is Group 1 placed in New Zealand.
Both of Erin Jo’s ‘parents’ won on debut, I am Invincible ran his rivals off their legs in a midweeker at Warwick Farm winning by five lengths.
Lucia Valentina, then still a resident of New Zealand started $15 when taking out a 1200m Maiden Handicap at Tauranga.
It's the short priced favourite, Calga Power doing just enough to take out the second at Tamworth! 🙌@Leesracingpic.twitter.com/UdJ8qJGmpI
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 14, 2024
Erin Jo’s opportunity to uphold the family tradition comes in the Randwick Mayor’s Cup (1300m).
The filly will be ridden by Singo’s go-to man Nash Rawiller and cheered on by her namesake (and part owner) Erin Molan.
“She has pleased in her trials, albeit she is a filly that will probably get over ground in time as you would expect out of Lucia and from the gate we will give her a chance to be ridden accordingly.” Lees surmised.
“I think she’ll run a nice race. Who knows how that track will play early in the day, so we are not going in with great expectations, we just want to have a good day out and set up nicely for her future.”
Lees’ second and remaining runner on the Kensington twilight card is Calga Power in the Fidelity Capital Australia Handicap (1250m) whose name is a dead giveaway as to his owner, (Walter) Power Thoroughbreds.
“He came back an ran a track record at Gosford, I am always a bit guarded about that, but he was very good in his return and appears to have had ample time to get over that run.
“He’s an on-pace with good gate speed and puts himself there so you think that is a positive for Kenso at this stage.”
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A rousing trial win in the nation’s thoroughbred capital last month on behalf of former Godolphin gelding Aimpoint has trainer Mack Griffith poised to collect his third Mudgee Cup.
Fresh from his weekend win in the increasingly coveted Country Classic (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens with the former Gerry Harvey-owned Blacklist, Griffith’s 2025 candidate Aimpoint looks ready and able to emulate the stable’s previous winners, Mack ‘N’ Me and Osman.
“It’s a good starting point for him,” Griffith said.
“It’s probably a hard starting point but if you look at his rating, it is the only sort of race he can go into and it’d be good to win another Mudgee Cup (1400m).
“He races well fresh too and his trial showed he is back to where he should be.”
Despite being a seven-time winner of over a quarter of a million dollars, Aimpoint is attractively weighted in his hometown Cup at what seems a sweet spot in terms of journey.
“He has won up to 2100m but that stretches him right out so 1400m to 1600m is about his range,” Griffith says.
AIMPOINT wins the Wellington Cup!
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) March 31, 2025
The Mack Griffith-trained gelding earns Big Dance💃eligibility with an all the way win for @NockBraith in the @WelloBootNSW feature downing Cliff House and Oakfield Prince. @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/tIQerUqmZx
“The harder the race, the less weight you get, there’s always two ways of looking at it.
“You can be in an easier race and carry the grandstand or go somewhere a bit harder and carry a very winnable weight.
“He will go forwardish,” Griffith suggested.
“I wouldn’t like him to lead first-up over 1400m but he will definitely be in the first few.”
There wouldn’t be too many horses racing today whose lineage dates almost all the way back to the very beginning of Jack and Bob Ingham’s Woodlands empire.
Aimpoint’s fifth dam, Sasha foaled in 1964, delivered the Chicken Kings with the mighty filly Shaybisc who went on to become one of Woodlands most successful foundation mares.
Griffiths, meanwhile, has designs on winning the co-feature on the Big Dance Eligibility Mudgee Cup Day with Tasmanian-bred gelding Stratified lining up in the Mudgee Cup Day Sprint (1200m).
The son of Stratosphere made his first visit to the winner’s stall this season, winning the Warren Club Sprint on November 9.
“He is a big gross fellow and normally takes a few runs to come to hand and his last runs showed he is back to where he should be,” Griffith said.
“I think he is a great chance of winning actually.”
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