Lees finds new time to test unbeaten record as back-up assignment

Kris Lees hopes a fresher approach to 2000m with Tavi Time will help keep the seven-year-old unbeaten at the trip when the Newcastle trainer switches to plan B in the $750,000 Sydney Gold Cup at Randwick.

Tavi Time was third last start in the Big Dance Wildcard (1600m), which offered the final two places in the $3 million mile race held at Randwick next Tuesday.

After falling a half-length short of a third appearance in the Big Dance, where he was eighth last year and fourth in 2024, Tavi Time will step up in distance for the listed Sydney Gold Cup on Saturday, which has been renamed from the Rosehill Gold Cup.

Lees, who won the inaugural Big Dance with Rustic Steel in 2022 and is unlikely to have a starter this year, has taken Tavi Time to 2000m twice in 33 starts and both have been wins in the group 3 Summer Cups at Randwick on Boxing Day in end-of-preparation runs.

He heads to 2000m this time third up after a sixth in the Cameron Handicap (1500m) and the wildcard placing two weeks ago, when he carried 61.5 kilograms.

“He’s two from two at the distance, both at Randwick, so that helps,” Lees said of the rising in trip.

“And to be fair to the horse, he’s gone there only late in his preparations, so we get him there this time with a bit more freshness in his legs.

“His run was fine the other day. He had a big weight against some lighter-weight horses and it got him late. He’s not a really big horse, so it wasn’t a huge surprise that he found them a bit sharper.

“We would have liked to get to the Big Dance, of course, $3 million.

“He’s not a big, gross horse, so his training hasn’t changed much.”

Tavi Time, a $17 chance from gate 11 with Sam Clipperton aboard, has 10 wins in 34 starts but his only victory outside the two Summer Cups in the past two years has been the 2025 Scone Cup.

“He’s raced at a pretty high level for a few seasons, he’s probably at a stage where he doesn’t win out of turn, he needs a few things to go right, but he’s been a good horse for the connections,” Lees said.

“He will probably go to the Gong after this, then maybe the Villiers, but this will tell us whether he stays at that trip or comes back in distance.”

Victory will give Lees a new double, after he won the group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) this year with Changingoftheguard, which has not raced since a sixth in the Newcastle Cup.

“He just couldn’t shake a cough and so forth, so we were going to be chasing our tail trying to get him to the Melbourne Cup,” he said.

“We’ll give him a spell and give him every chance to aim up at another Sydney Cup. He’s an older horse, so we’ll give him his chance early. If he’s with us, he’s off to the races. If he’s not, he’ll find a very good home.”

Lees, meanwhile, was relieved to get Night Agent ($101) and Rivellino ($101) into Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle at Randwick (1500m). The pair were 11th and ninth respectively in the Silver Eagle (1300m) after getting well back, and Lees was confident of better performances.

“Night Agent was luckless, he stumbled out of the gates and was never on the track. It was a total forgive,” he said.

“And Rivellino, being first-up off a long break, was always going back and he worked home quite well considering.

“The lure of a $10 million race, it’s too tempting. They could always go back in grade, but for that top money, we’ll give them their chance.”

Also at Randwick, Damien ($7) will race in the third, a 1300m benchmark 78, with January’s Magic Millions carnival a likely goal. Bestower ($21) is second up in the fifth, a 2000m benchmark 78, and on trial for a shot at the $300,000 Beauford at Newcastle on November 14.

At Flemington, Lees was confident Under Focus would handle the switch to straight racing in the group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).

The Yulong-owned Too Darn Hot colt, a $21 hope, was third in the Run To The Rose (1200m) and group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at his past two starts.

“He trialled well last Friday and he galloped well Tuesday morning down the straight,” he said.

“It’s a very good edition of the race, but I’m expecting him to run very well.”

Meanwhile, he said in-foal Infancy, which stormed home for second in the $2 million Invitation on Saturday, would likely head to the $1 million Hunter at home on November 14.