Le Romain wins trial ahead of return
Le Romain has shown his readiness for his race return with a barrier trial win at Newcastle.
Trainer Kris Lees is looking to secure a spot in the $10 million Everest for Le Romain but the triple Group One winner has plenty of other options if that doesn’t eventuate.
Le Romain won a 1000m-barrier trial at Newcastle on Tuesday to show his readiness for his return in the Group Two Missile Stakes on August 5.
After the Missile, he will head south for the Group One Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on September 2.
“There have been a couple of discussions about The Everest but nothing concrete,” Lees said.
“The plan is to return in the Missile and then go to the Memsie over 1400 metres.
“That’s six weeks before The Everest so there is plenty of time to get him ready for the 1200 metres and we’ll probably know after that whether he will get in.”
Le Romain won the Randwick Guineas (1600m) in the autumn of 2016 and has added the Cantala Stakes (1600m) and Canterbury Stakes (1300m) to his Group One record in his four-year-old season.
In the Canterbury Stakes he beat Chautauqua by a short head with the latter the $4.60 favourite for The Everest on October 14.
Lees is also hoping to secure a slot in The Everest with Clearly Innocent, winner of the Group One Kingsford Smith Cup during the Brisbane winter carnival.
Of the 14 trials at Newcastle on Tuesday, Lees won five and Paul Perry four.
Among the Lees’ winners was Invincible Gem, runner-up in this year’s Randwick Guineas.
One of her goals is the Group Two Golden Pendant in September.
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