Kris Lees believes Luncies is going better than his form reads as he tries to launch another strong Victorian campaign on Wednesday in the $500,000 Bendigo Cup (2400m).
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Luncies was second in the group 3 Queen's Cup at Flemington and group 2 Sandown Classic last spring after falling short of a Melbourne Cup start. The now seven-year-old has not been aimed at the Cup this year and will chase other targets.
He has gate 11, with Blake Shinn aboard, for Wednesday's group 3 race and was an $8 TAB chance. He is third up after a ninth in the Cameron Handicap (1500m) at home then an eighth in the group 2 Hill Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill.
"He's got a tricky gate but hopefully he can overcome that," Lees said. "He won a group race over the winter in Brisbane at that trip, but he's pretty versatile. He barely runs a bad race.
"His run the other day was all right in pretty good company over 1900 and the other race, the Cameron, was a bit beyond him. It was a better race this year.
"He's probably going a bit better than his form guide reads so he could easily run well there."
Lees said Luncies would likely chase more Victorian targets if he won. A shot at the $300,000 The Beauford (2300m) at Newcastle's The Hunter program on November 18 was also an option.
Meanwhile, Lees hopes to give Cleveland a hit-out under race jockey Michael Dee on Friday as a lead-in to Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.
Cleveland rocketed into Cup contention with victory in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup last Friday night. He gained only a half-kilogram penalty and will carry 52kg.
"He came through the run well and he will have a gallop later in the week, probably Friday, hopefully with Michael aboard at Flemington or Moonee Valley," said Lees, who has Kalapour chasing a Cup start in the Archer Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
Lees was pleasantly surprised to see Razeta on Tuesday gain a start in the $10 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill on Saturday.
Twenty acceptances were received for the 20-horse capacity field for the feature race for four-year-olds.
"She's a roughie but the opportunity for the prizemoney on offer is too good to knock back, rather than run in a different grade," he said.
"She's back on track, I'd suggest, off her run the other day."
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Craig Kerry
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
