Newcastle trainer Kris Lees lost a group 1 chance at Doomben but picked up another on Wednesday after Banner Season won at Ipswich.
Lees announced early in the day that three-time group 1 winner Le Romain would not carry on to the $1.5 million Stradbroke Handicap on June 9 following narrow defeats at the Doomben 10,000 and Kingsford-Smith Cup. Le Romain was the 58-kilogram topweight.
“I just don’t want to go one run too far with him,” Lees said. “It’s tempting but it’s traditionally not a great race for high-weighted horses. He’s had a good preparation, so we’ll look after him so he looks after us next time around.”
Lees said Le Romain would spell briefly before potential runs in the Missile and Memsie Stakes.
He said Invincible Gem would run in the Stradbroke and was "a realistic chance in that race”. Newcastle trainer Paul Perry accepted with three-year-old Perast and said he would likely be heading to the Stradbroke.
Later on Wednesday, Banner Season won narrowly to lift his prizemoney high enough to make the June 9 Queensland Derby field. Lees also hopes to get Turnberry into the race.
Meanwhile, the Lees-trained Danish Twist will likely race on to the Tatts Tiara despite being sold to Newgate Farm for $575,000 at the Magic Millions broodmare sale on the Gold Coast.
“She’ll come back and have one or two runs for the new connections then go to stud,” he said.
Lees-trained filly Notting Hill was also sold to Newgate and fetched $950,000.
