Ellerslie on the radar as Lees eyes double

Newcastle trainer Kris Lees will look to target next month’s Champions Day at Ellerslie for owner Lib Petagna.

Lees has earmarked the Auckland Cup and Dubai Classic as possible targets for Age Of Sail and Kind Words, respectively.

“Lib is from over there it would be good to have runners for him on one of their biggest days,” Lees said.

“Age Of Sail was a good second in the Australia Day Cup and he is a good stayer at that Group 2 level.

“We have tried him once over the two miles in a Sydney Cup, but this is a step back from it and I think he is in the right form to run a big race.

“We will see how he is going in the next month and make a final decision closer to the race.”

Kind Words won the Belle Of The Turf at her last appearance at Gosford in December and Lees sees the Dubai Classic, which is worth $600,000 over 1400m, as a good option.

“She is getting a bit harder to place over here as a Group 3 winner, and this race is at the right sort of trip for good money,” Lees said.

“We don’t have to make a decision until a couple of weeks out but if everything goes right, it would be a great day to be a part of.”

Champions Day will see the next appearance of unbeaten filly Well Written in the $4 million Kiwi and also features the New Zealand Derby.