By Tayler Strong
Wyndham trainers Gordon and Colin Lee have the chance to wind up a successful season on a winning note at Forbury Park on Thursday night.
“This is our last meeting for the season. I am off to the rugby tests (All Blacks versus Lions) in Auckland (Saturday) and Wellington (July 1),’’ said Gordon Lee, reinsman for the team.
The Lee brothers have won 15 races this season, five up on their previous best in 2014-15. They have been training in partnership for 19 years.
They have Lynette The Vet (race 5), Art Exhibit (race 10), Magnate Mara (race 11) and Moment of Sun (race 12) engaged on Thursday.
Gordon is leaning toward Magnate Mara as the best chance for the stable.
“He won good at his last start and should handle the next grade,’’ said Lee.
Magnate Mara cleared maiden ranks at Invercargill on June 10; Lynette The Vet won at Gore on May 6; Moment of Sun won at Invercargill in January and Art Exhibit has won twice at Invercargill this year.
“She has got to get the right run,’’ said Lee of Art Exhibit, who has drawn one on the second row.
Lynette The Vet followed up her win with a second to Playboy’s Brother at Forbury Park. Playboy’s Brother won against Forbury Park two starts later. Lynette The Vet, a daughter of Raffaelle Ambrosia – Accelerando Del was sent to the Lees this season by Little River breeder Neil Manson after a win from the Motukarara stable of Murray Edmonds. Accelerando Del won two races for Manson, the first when trained by Edmonds and the other at Forbury Park in 2008 from the Lee stable.
Seaswift Joy won six races for the Lee stable during the season. Her wins included a heat of the Nevele R series for 3-year-old fillies at Methven and a mile in 1.54.2 at Wyndham. She has since returned to her West Melton part-owner Malcolm Shinn.
Magnate Mara could find the 3yr-old filly Jakira a formidable opponent. She won fresh up at Forbury Park on June 1 and was again impressive winning at the Nelson meeting.
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