The All Aged Stakes 2018 on April 21 at the end of the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival has already been all but confirmed as the campaign finale for Le Romain who contests the TJ Smith Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend.
Le Romain (inside, No. 2) is a roughie hope in the 2018 TJ Smith Stakes on Saturday before contesting the All Aged Stakes a fortnight later. Photo: Steve Hart.
Newcastle horseman Kris Lees will have at least two runners in this season’s Group 1 $600,000 All Aged Stakes (1400m) including his three-time Group 1 winning gelding Le Romain.
The five-year-old son of Hard Spun has a strong record at Randwick with four wins and five seconds from 11 starts, including elite level victories in the 2016 Randwick Guineas and 2017 Canterbury Stakes.
He returns to Randwick Racecourse for the 12th time on Saturday lining-up against super sprinter Redzel in the Group 1 $2.5 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).
From seven goes at the 1200m sprint distance, Le Romain is yet to finish out of the money boasting two wins, four seconds and a third.
He goes up 100m second-up following his seventh when four lengths off the Benjamin Smith-trained winning mare In Her Time in Rosehill’s Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) on March 24.
In Her Time is rated the $4.20 second pick to win again in TJ Smith Stakes betting on Saturday, markets dominated by last start Challenge Stakes winner Redzel ($2.20).
Le Romain meanwhile can be found further down the markets at TJ Smith Stakes odds of $51, Glyn Schofield riding the roughie hope from barrier 11 of 14.
Lees is using the TJ Smith Stakes on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’ as a stepping stone to the All Aged Stakes over the 1400m, a race Le Romain is rated a far better chance of winning.
“Le Romain runs in the TJ en route to the All Aged a fortnight later,” Lees confirmed to Racing NSW.
The trainer also has the All Aged Stakes on the autumn racing agenda for Clearly Innocent who he chose not to accept for the Group 1 $3 million Doncaster Mile (1600m) on Saturday.
“We’ll keep Clearly Innocent for the All Aged Stakes at Randwick on April 21,” he said.
Not A Single Doubt six-year-old Clearly Innocent has not won a race since success in Brisbane’s Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) in the wet last winter.
He also ran third in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1300m) during that campaign, but this time in has run three sixth place finishes on the trot.
The latest was behind champion mare Winx in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m).
Also missing from Lees’ Doncaster Mile contingent is Sound Proposition who ran dead last in the Doncaster Prelude last weekend after from cardiac arrhythmia.
“Sound Proposition pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia at Rosehill last Saturday for the second time this preparation,” Lees explained.
“He will have a number of tests before any future decisions are made.”
The two horses Lees does having running in the Doncaster Mile field are Prized Icon ($34) coming off a Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) third and Invincible Gem ($31) who ran fifth in the George Ryder.
For all the best weekend racing odds and offers on the Sydney Group 1 events head to Ladbrokes.com.au today.
