Bradley Photography
Kris Lees is yet to win a TAB Epsom Handicap but is confident he has a sound proposition to do so at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Lees will saddle former New Zealander Sound Proposition (Savabeel) in the $1 million Group 1 feature and is excited about his prospects.
“I feel he’s got a really good chance; I’m very happy with him,” he said. “He is two from two at Randwick, including one over the Epsom course (1600m), and puts himself in the right spot in his races. With 54kg, he has definitely got a weight to be very competitive.”
Sound Proposition joined Lees’s barn after finishing 10th to his now stablemate Sense Of Occasion in the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2200m) in May, and has raced brilliantly at all three starts for his new trainer. He scored over the Epsom route on June 24 on heavy ground, then had no trouble on a firmer surface on July 22 when he again scored over 1800m at Randwick.
Lees then freshened Sound Proposition and he was responsible for an excellent effort when narrowly beaten in the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1500m) at Newcastle on September 15. He carried 59kg and, after working early to get outside the leader (favorite Special Missile) before hitting the front near the 200m, was just caught by the lesser-weighted Got Unders, who had the drop on him in the run and had 5kg less. Adding further merit to Sound Proposition’s performance was that the Cameron was run in track record time.
Sound Proposition has a superb 1600m record. From nine starts over the Epsom trip, he has won on five occasions, including the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie in April last year when it carried Group 1 status (subsequently relegated to Group 2). - Racing New South Wales