Lees in no hurry to test Dal Cielo in tougher company

Trainer Kris Lees is in no hurry to test Dal Cielo back in tougher company after the former Kiwi galloper scored his first win for the stable in the $100,000 Summer Sprint (1000m) at Warwick Farm last Saturday.

Dal Cielo, above, winning the Summer Sprint at Warwick Farm. Photo by Steve Hart.

Dal Cielo, above, winning the Summer Sprint at Warwick Farm. Photo by Steve Hart.

Dal Cielo was having his second start for the Lees stable and the Summer Sprint was the four year old’s first win since claiming victory in the Group 1 NZ$200,000 Haunui Farm Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie in the Autumn of his two year old season in 2015 when prepared by Kiwi trainer Murray Baker.

The Gelding failed to fire during his three year old campaign during the 2016 Sydney Autumn Carnival and was transferred to Lees’ stable at Broadmeadow.

“We’ll see what Dal Cielo’s rating now is and hopefully try and win another Benchmark race with him, and then we’ll have more of an idea about the autumn,” Lees told Racing New South Wales News.

“Obviously, if he continues to race well, we would have to seriously look at the better races. He has always had the ability, and it’s nice to see him get back into good form.”

Glyn Schofield was having his first ride on Dal Cielo in the Summer Sprint and even though the four year old was caught out wide for most of the trip, he was still able to run away in the straight to record a comfortable two lengths win on the line.

That win followed Dal Cielo’s only other start for the Lees stable which resulted in a second in a 1000m Sprint at Muswellbrook on November 25.

Dal Cielo also campaigned during the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival under the guidance of Baker and came away with two placings from five starts.

He set the pace when a close up third behind Bon Aurum and Tulsa in the Group 3 $175,000 BECK Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield and three starts later ran second to Mahuta in the Group 2 $250,000 Sandown Guineas (1600m) at Sandown.

The Summer Sprint was Dal Cielo’s third win from fourteen starts and took his prizemoney earnings to $352,940.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.