Local connection eyes best chance yet for win in Hunter’s biggest race

Craig Kerry

November 12, 2026 — 2:40pm

A miss at the sales in May has proven a blessing in disguise for Australian Bloodstock and trainer Kris Lees with Infancy.

Now the Newcastle combination believe the homebred six-year-old mare is at the peak of her powers and their best chance to breakthrough in their premier home track race on Saturday.

Lees and syndication company Australian Bloodstock, founded by Luke Murrell and Jamie Lovett, has targeted the $1million The Hunter over its seven editions, finishing second with Tactical Advantage (2019), Special Reward (2020) and Wandabaa (2021) across its first three years. Australian Bloodstock, winner of the Melbourne Cup with Protectionist (2014) and Gold Trip (2022), was also third in the 2021 Hunter with Top Ranked.

Lees, who has had a runner in every Hunter race, was third last year with Brudenell, which will carry his family’s colours again on Saturday. Brudenell was $51 after drawing gate 14, while Lord Of Biscay ($23) is another from the Lees-Australian Bloodstock stock.

Infancy shapes as Lees’ best chance on Saturday after flashing home for second last start in the $2million Invitation. The $400,000 cheque took the group 2 winner’s earnings to $964,175.

The Wandjina mare was passed in with a $775,000 reserve at the Inglis Chairmans’ Sale in May and has won more than half of that mark in prizemoney since. Now in foal to Anamoe, connections, which include Lees, hope to cash in again on Saturday and then at sales next year.

“She’s been great to us, given that we bred her for nothing and hopefully she can sell for big money,” Lovett said.

“Kris and I, we bought the mare Childhood as a two-year-old in Ireland and we sent her to America trying to win a stakes race and she broke down, so we brought her home and put her in foal.

“I think she’s in career-best form and essentially this is our best chance to knock it off. If things go to plan, she will be very strong late.

“At one stage, we were getting a few of the Everest horses coming back to this race. Even Top Ranked went on to win the Bill Ritchie and the Epsom, but there’s certainly no group 1 horses in there this year.

“It would be a thrill to win, it’s your feature in your hometown, so it would be a big buzz and it would be an even bigger buzz to do it with Infancy.”

Infancy, eighth last year in the Hunter, was $7.50 (TAB) from gate five in an open edition of the sprint. Sweynesday, from the Annabel and Rob Archibald stable, was a $6 favourite.

“Infancy was competitive last year and is going as good, if not better this year,” Lees said.

“She is probably our better chance, coming off a good second to Lazzura in the Invitation.

“She always races well at Randwick, and she runs well at Newcastle, too. She likes the bigger tracks and genuine tempo, which she will get.

“From that good gate, she should be able to hold a position. That will give her a great chance.

“She doesn’t win out of turn because of her racing style, so I’m not over-confident, but I’m confident she will run well.”

A poor draw hurt the chances of Brudenell, which capitalised on gate one last year. Lord Of Biscay, the Provincial-Midway Championships winner in April, has the advantage of barrier three.

“Brudenell profiles a little similar going into it and I feel he’s going just as good,” Lees said.

“He’ll put himself on speed again and give himself a chance. He’s been a bit of stable stalwart for a few years now and he seems to be coming up well.

“Lord Of Biscay had a gap between runs, he’s had a tickover trial, so he’s in a good space and he’ll run well.”

As usual, Lovett and Lees have chances across the program, and both are chasing the Max Lees Classic. Kris won the two-year-old race named after his late father two years ago with Gobi Desert, and he has Bronze Lion ($4) and Australian Bloodstock’s Inside Perfection ($18) in the race on Saturday. The syndicators also have Ciaron Maher-trained Lucky Lakota ($10).

“Inside Perfection I think is going to be a nice filly, but whether she’s fast enough ... it looks like a good race this year, but we do like her,” Lovett said.

“Lucky Lakota trialled nice, too. I think they will be in the mix there.

“I’ve known Kris my whole life and my grandfather had horses with Max, so that’s when I first come across the stables, so it would be lovely to win it.”

Lees said there was not much between his pair, which finished one-two at Gosford in their only trial.

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