Trainer Kris Lees saddles up Spangler, Almania in 2025 The Lakes at Wyong

Kris Lees is on the Gold Coast chasing Australia’s next big thing but is trusting an Irish-bred import to help him win the first edition of Saturday’s $500,000 The Lakes (1600m) at Wyong.

Spangler is Kris Lees’ leading chance in The Lakes. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

Kris Lees is on the Gold Coast chasing Australia’s next big thing but is trusting an Irish-bred import to help him win the first edition of Saturday’s $500,000 The Lakes (1600m) at Wyong.

Which Irish-bred import that is remains to be seen with Lees set to saddle up classy grey Spangler and veteran import Almania in the lucrative mile.

Lees, who has been shopping for yearlings on the Gold Coast and also has two strong winning chances on Magic Millions day, believes Spangler is his best chance to snare The Lakes.

The top Newcastle-based conditioner was confident Spangler was ready to hit top gear after coming into this preparation off a 12-month lay-off.

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Spangler won last year’s Little Dance but had a year off the scene before returning with a fifth on The Hunter day.

He was beaten convincingly in The Ingham but was doing his best work late through the line in a performance that has quietly confident of an improved showing in The Lakes.

“Spangler was good late in The Ingham,” Lees said.

“He just couldn’t get into the race on that firmer ground.

“He will appreciate the bit of give in the ground this time, which he will find, and I think he should run well.

“Without the gear off as an older horse they are always going to be a bit ring rusty (in their first couple of runs back from a spell).”

Spangler strikes in The Little Dance with a devastating turn of foot! 🕺@TommyBerry21 was superb in the saddle for the @Leesracing. pic.twitter.com/ucAN22WUZP

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 7, 2023

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The Lakes drew a capacity field of 14 starters on Wednesday before the scratchings of Coastwatch and Geriatrix.

It left Spangler as a $8.50 chance on the fifth line of betting with Andrew Gibbons aboard.

Almania is one of the outsiders of the field at $51 as the nine-year-old prepares to return from a 126-day spell.

A Listed Canberra Cup-winner last year, the son of Australia is running over a trip that’s short of his best but Lees thought it was a suitable kick-off point if the track was dry enough.

“Almania can sprint well fresh but Wyong probably isn’t his track first up,” Lees said.

“He will get the preparation underway.

“I know he will be better suited when he gets to 2000m, that’s more his trip but it’s a nice race to start off.

“He has been a bit of an old warhorse with two lots of 12 months off with tendon injuries and we probably won’t run if it gets too wet.”

What. A. Win. 🙌

Spangler stuns in the Provincial-Midway Championships Final with a sensational steer from @mcacajamez!@Leesracing trains the quinella. pic.twitter.com/1J59fS0Ash

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 8, 2023

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Lees had hoped to have a three-pronged attack but Pier Pressure, perhaps his best chance to win The Lakes, suffered a minor setback before acceptances on Wednesday morning.

“Pier Pressure unfortunately won’t run, she would have loved the wet,” Lees said.

“She just had her temperature spike up on Wednesday morning at home.”

Lees has a strong team across the Wyong card and will look to make it back-to-back weekends with Saturday two-year-old winners when Damien makes his debut in the Heritage Real Estate 2YO Open (1200m).

Lees won last Saturday’s juvenile opener with Rivellino, which will be aimed at the $2 million Inglis Millennium after bouncing out of the win well.

Damien was purchased at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $200,000 and is having his first start this weekend with Jay Ford booked to steer.

Newcastle trainer Kris Lees. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

A son of Hellbent, Damien has had a pair of trials in the lead up to his debut and is a $5.50 chance to kick off his career with a win.

“I’ve got no doubt Damien is a preparation or even 12 months away from being the fully-furnished product but he has shown enough improvement each time he has stepped out to suggest he will race well and be competitive,” Lees said.

“He is probably the two-year-old (in the stable) that has taken a bit longer to come to hand and looking more like a 1400m horse so I am sure 1200m first time will be suitable.”

Imposant ($9.50) contests The Central Coast Community News 3&4yo Benchmark 72 (1300m) while Zaphod ($3.50) is joined by Fulfilled ($71) in the De Bortoli Wines Benchmark 88 Handicap (2100m).

Russian Roni ($23) returns in the NBN News Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m) and Valimi ($34) and Little Beginnings ($23) are in the Royal Hotel Wyong Benchmark 78 Handicap (1350m).

That's a winning double for Ben Osmond! He finishes the day booting home Little Beginnings for the boss @Leesracing 💥 pic.twitter.com/xYZtzcjVnS

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 13, 2024

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Lees has two chances on the Magic Millions card however both Bubba’s Bay and Loch Eagle have both drawn wide in their respective assignments.

Bubba’s Bay ($5) will jump from barrier 15 in the $1 million TAB Magic Millions Fillies and Mares (1300m).

The daughter of Cable Bay loves Queensland racing with nine of her 11 career victories coming in the Sunshine State while only missing the placings once in 11 starts.

She continued her golden run north of the border with a determined victory in the Listed Nudgee Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on December 28.

“The 1300m is a risk I guess but she is a mare in winning form,” Lees said.

“She has amazing record in Queensland and is nine from 11.

“The smallest concern for me is that we gave her that freshen and we got a great reaction fresh and now she has got to do it at 1300m.

“But there is no sign around the stable that she is not going to handle it.”

Bubba's Bay wins a thrilling Listed Keith Noud, and that's three wins in a row for the @Leesracing trained mare! @mallyon_andrew | @BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/gLFhWxaa7V

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 9, 2024

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Jumping from barrier 14, Loch Eagle ($7.50) gets his chance a race earlier in the Magic Millions Subzero (2200m) and is on the seven-day back up after finishing fifth in The Wave at the Sunshine Coast last weekend.

Before that the son of Lonhro lapped up heavy 10 conditions to win in Open company over 1800m at Eagle Farm.

“Loch Eagle was good two starts back and had every chance the other day but he is a funny old horse,” Lees said.

“When horses get up around him he kind of waits until they get past him so he can get clear air.

“He was OK again late and we will probably ride him a bit more conservative.”

Jason Collett will pilot Loch Eagle while Bubba Bay’s continues her successful partnership with Andrew Mallyon.