Newcastle’s Kris Lees has confirmed plans to head to Brisbane next month for a crack at the 2016 Tattersall’s Tiara with his in-form Dark Jewel Classic winner at Scone on Saturday, Danish Twist.

2016 Dark Jewel Classic winner Danish Twist heads to Queensland on June 25 for a shot at the Tattersall’s Tiara at Eagle Farm. Photo: Steve Hart.

Lees has done a masterful training job keeping the Dane Shadow four-year-old going across a long campaign that kicked off in mid-February and saw her go through the Provincial Championship all the way to a win in the lucrative $500,000 final at Randwick over 1400m on April 9.

She made it back-to-back wins after that defeating her stablemate Onemorezeta in a BenchMark 85 over 1300m at Hawkesbury on April 30, and it was the same winning quinella a fortnight on at Scone in this year’s $200,000 Group 3 Godolphin Dark Jewel Classic (1400m).

A mare that normally likes to race with cover, Danish Twist did it tough in the Dark Jewel getting zero cover from her wide barrier with jockey Tim Clark taking her up to settle third behind the leader Lucky News who won the early speed battle from Press Report.

Lucky News led the Dark Jewel Classic field around from the Joe Pride-trained Ammirata who dug deep to get into second from a wide barrier, Danish Twist covering all the ground on the outside of the course.

Around the turn Lucky News was still in front, but the eventual Dark Jewel Classic winner was coming for her closing late along with the fellow Lees-trained Onemorezeta.

Despite having raced wide with no cover and over-racing, instead of running out of puff Danish Twist ($4.80) showed a gritty determination bursting clear inside the final 100m to win from Onemorezeta ($17), while Press Report ($15) finished off the Dark Jewel Classic trifecta in another honest run for third.

Lees was thrilled with the effort of the winner and the work she did to get the job done, confirming she would go out to the paddock and spend time on the water-walker in a freshen-up before coming back on June 25 at Eagle Farm Racecourse for a shot at the $500,000 Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) in Brisbane.

“She’s a different horse when she doesn’t have that cover,” Lees said.

“But she still finishes off her races well.

“When they’re in form like that, they’re pretty hard to stop.

“She’s done a really good job….she’s pleasure to train.

“We’ll look at the Winter Stakes [the Tattersall’s Tiara], I know it’s still a while away, but while she’s in form we’ll do something with her.”

To back Danish Twist next race and to access the best markets on all the Group 1 races over the winter, make sure to head to Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost!

2016 Dark Jewel Classic Results & Finishing Order

Scone Race 7 – 14/05/2016