Free newsletter sign up

Get our latest horse racing news, reviews, exclusives and more direct to your email inbox.
Sign up here

PP Blog

Read our Horse Racing Blog, keeping you up to date with all the latest horse race betting info & horse racing systems.

PP TV

Watch the TVN coverage of today's horse racing and view video replays through BigPond.

PP Radio

Listen to the day's racing through 2ky. Plus racing news, previews and horse racing tips.

Lees' filly to be tested for Slipper

Wednesday 24 February 2010
By Mathew Toogood

Well-bred filly Dove Lake made a winning debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday and trainer Kris Lees now plans to test the juvenile in one of the Golden Slipper lead-up races.

Dove Lake is by 1995 Golden Slipper winner Flying Spur out of 2003 Oakleigh Plate winner River Dove and made a good impression when winning the Embasadora Handicap (1000m).

Lees said provided the filly pulled up well from the win he would look to start her in the Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick at her next start on March 13.

"She's a lovely filly," Lees said.

"She has good natural speed which is a big plus for two-year-olds, especially around Warwick Farm, and I think she will improve off that run today. She's from a very fast family and she has a bit of that speed herself."

Dove Lake ($6) began brilliantly with Tye Angland in the saddle and took the lead in the early stages before the favourite, Actrice ($2.90), moved up on her inside to take up the running.

Angland had the filly just outside Actrice and on straightening was clearly doing the better.

The Newcastle-trained filly then had to hold off a late charge by runner-up Gosetgo ($6.50) who had to change course in the straight.

The winning margin was a half-head with the Peter Snowden-trained Malbun ($5) a length away third.

"I think this will prove to be a pretty competitive race," Lees said.

The trainer is also pleased with Golden Slipper fancy Elimbari who had an exhibition gallop on her home track last Saturday and will race on Saturday week in the Kindergarten Stakes at Warwick Farm against John O'Shea's impressive filly Solar Charged.

Meanwhile, in-form trainer Chris Waller is considering backing up Beijing Boy at Rosehill on Saturday after the five-year-old gelding scored an impressive win in his first Australian start in the Kingston Bay Handicap (2200m).

"It's probably 50-50 whether he will run again on Saturday," Waller said.

"He sweated up a bit before the race today so I'll have to think about it."

Stewards also conducted an inquiry into the third race, The Grand Armee Handicap (1000m), in which apprentice Taylor Lovelock-Wiggins' mount Jahzara crashed through the running rail near the 800m mark and had to be put down.

It was Lovelock-Wiggins' third race fall in the space of 12 months.

The apprentice walked away sore but unscathed and was able to fulfil the remainder of his commitments.

Stewards questioned apprentices Lovelock-Wiggins, Jessie Whipp and Brenton Avdulla as well as Blake Shinn but found there were contributing circumstances and no rider was at fault for the incident.

Lovelock-Wiggins had a bad fall at Gundagai last October when he suffered severe injuries that kept him out of the saddle for more than two months.