Lees trio all good chances at Randwick

By Mathew Toogood

SYDNEY, March 12 AAP - Kris Lees believes well-bred Dove Lake needs to improve to win the Group Three Sweet Embrace Stakes at Randwick on Saturday but says the filly has done enough to deserve her shot at the race.

Dove Lake won a midweek event at Warwick Farm on debut and straight after that race Lees pointed towards the Sweet Embrace as the filly's logical next target.

Dove Lake is by 1995 Golden Slipper winner Flying Spur out of 2003 Oakleigh Plate winner River Dove and the trainer said the filly warranted her chance at qualifying for the Golden Slipper.

Dove Lake is one of three runners for the Newcastle trainer at Randwick, with Zingaling (Strada Stakes) and Lacada Siren (Aspiration Quality) also being given their chance in stakes company.

"I thought it was a good, gutsy win on debut," Lees said of Dove Lake.

"She'll need to improve stepping up to stakes level on Saturday, it's a good test for her but she's shown she deserves her shot at it.

"She had only had the one trial going into her first start and she's come on well since then."

Lees already has a live Golden Slipper chance in Kindergarten Stakes runner-up Elimbari but said it was difficult to get a line on Dove Lake through her stablemate.

"It's hard to compare them because their style of racing is different," he said.

"This filly is more of an on-pace filly.

"I'm not sure whether the form out of that race (at Warwick Farm) is strong enough, but she races on the speed which is to her advantage."

Zingaling turned in a mighty performance first-up to finish a close second to Winter King in an 1100m Benchmark 75 at Rosehill on February 20, coming from ninth on the turn to almost claim victory.

Lees said that performance was good enough to convince him the Redoute's Choice filly was good enough to warrant her first try in stakes company in the 1200m event for three-year-olds.

"It was a very good run from her first-up from a long break," Lees said.

"She got a lovely run through but the wide alley cost her being a bit closer and probably cost her the race.

"I always thought she was up to stakes company and there wasn't a great deal of other options for her.

"It was either go to a midweek race against older horses or go for this stakes race against three-year-olds - I thought this was the better option."

Lacada Siren, meanwhile, has won her past two starts but jumps from a midweek win to stakes grade on Saturday.

"It's a fair jump," the trainer said.

"But the mile (1600m) suits her.

"I think all three of my runners are in good form. They are jumping in grade but they are horses that are on the way up and should be competitive."

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