Kris Lees looks to US for Flag Of Honour after second bleeding attack

Flag Of Honour was racing for the first time since a bleeding attack on October 22 last year when finishing well back in the $1 million Callander-Presnell (1600m) at Randwick.

Off two trials in March, the three-year-old returned in the last on Gosford Gold Cup day, a benchmark 78 handicap (1200m), where he defied the pattern to come with a rails run and win by a quarter of a length from Short Shorts.

However, the joy for connections was short-lived. The American Pharoah gelding, a $425,000 buy as a yearling, returned to the enclosure with blood in both nostrils.

The second bleeding attack means Flag Of Honour is barred from racing again in Australia.

"It's very unfortunate," Lees said on Sunday.

"He'd shown no signs leading into it. We always thought we could put it down as a one-off when he bled [the first time].

"You go from the thrill of a win to the disappointment of retirement, but that's our game. He's potentially a pretty smart horse."

Before the discovery, Lees was eyeing a potential shot at the Fred Best Classic in Queensland with Flag Of Honour, which had three wins in six starts for prizemoney of $249,865.

Lees said connections would now look to a potential move to the US, where horses are allowed to race with the help of Lasix (furosemide) - a medication used to prevent lung bleeding from exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.

"We're going to look at options for America," Lees said. "In some states, I think you can still race on Lasix, so we're going to explore that."

Lees, meanwhile, had three runners in the $500,000 The Coast (1600m), won by John Sargent-trained and Kerrin McEvoy-ridden Palmetto.

Bellatrix Black was Lees' best, coming fifth in a seven-horse blanket finish for the placings. Razeta and Loch Eagle were further back.

"They were probably better runs than they look. They all came home in slick time," Lees said.

"I think Loch Eagle and Bellatrix Black had the two quickest last 600s of the race but they just got strung out. There was a pretty frantic speed up front and they weren't able to pick them up."

He said Bellatrix Black will race on but Razeta and Loch Eagle will go for a spell.

Lees-trained Wolverine was fourth in the listed Gold Coast Bracelet on the Sunshine Coast and she may push on to the Queensland Oaks.

At Gosford, Scone trainer Scott Singleton won the Highway Handicap (1200m) with Remlaps Commander.

Sam Clipperton and McEvoy rode three winners each on the card. Clipperton piloted Flag Of Honour, Chrysaor and Takeover Target Stakes winner Think About It.

Esti Feny won the cup for trainer Matthew Smith and jockey Jay Ford.