NEWCASTLE: Thursday, February 21, 2019:HAWKESBURY will host the opening heat of the 2019 PolyTrack Provincial Championships on Sunday, and Kris Lees will have two representatives.

Lees has won two of the four runnings of the annual series (Danish Twist in 2016 and Serene Miss last year), and starts Juventus and Road To Heaven in the first $150,000 qualifier.

He has signified his intention to strongly defend his “crown” by booking leading jockeys James McDonald and Brenton Avdulla for the pair.

McDonald rides Juventus, and Avdulla has the mount on Road To Heaven.

“I don’t consider I’ve got the same depth of horses as we had for last year’s series, but Juventus and Road To Heaven both are capable of getting into the final ($500,000 at Royal Randwick on April 13),” Lees said this afternoon.

“Juventus has raced well at all three starts this preparationand, under the set weights conditions on Sunday, drops 3kg from his latest second at Warwick Farm.

“Road To Heaven hasn’t raced since late September, but has had a good grounding to go 1400m first-up.

“Both his trials have been good, and I’m expecting him to run well.”

Lees has three representatives at Canterbury tomorrow night – Great Danger (McDonald) and Aliferous (Kerrin McEvoy) in the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1550m) for three-year-olds,and recent Canterbury winner Clevanicc (apprentice Robbie Dolan) in the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1550m) for four-year-olds and upwards.

“Great Danger is coming to town after winning two of his three starts in the country,” Lees said. “When he ran second at Taree last time, it was a pretty strong Class 2 and he drops 4kg to 56.5kg.

“Aliferous is fitter for two runs since resuming, and blinkers go on her.

“Clevanicc appreciated both the wet ground and a fast pace when he won at Canterbury a fortnight ago.

“There’s no reason he won’t run well again, especially if he gets another solidly run race.”

Lees is sending his main provincial and country jockey Andrew Gibbons to Brisbane on Saturday to partner his Eagle Farm runners; provided Cyclone Oma doesn’t intervene.

Lees accepted with Raay Of Dreams (2YO Handicap, 1300m), Pickelhaube (Class 4 Plate, 2200m), Hallelujah Boy (Class 6 Plate, 1600m) and Kool Vinnie (Class 6 Plate, 1200m).

However, Pickelhaube is not yet a certain starter.

Raay Of Dreams has been at Lees’ Gold Coast base for a number of weeks, whilst Hallelujah Boy and Kool Vinnie were being floated north overnight.

“Raay Of Dreams has trained on well since her recent Doomben win, and the 1300m will suit her,” Lees said.

“Hallelujah Boy ran really well first-up at Rosehill Gardens (third in a 1500m Benchmark 88 Handicap on February 2)when returning as a gelding. He looks nicely graded.

“Kool Vinnie was placed at Rosehill in January over 1200m and I’m prepared to forgive his last unplaced there on February 2 when he lost his near fore plate during the race.

“He also looks nicely placed under the Class 6 Plate conditions.”

Lees produces an interesting newcomer, Fairlight for OTI Racing,at Saturday’s provincial fixture at Gosford.

The imported four-year-old has raced only five times, and his two wins were over middle distances at Newmarket and Brighton in England.

He has been gelded and also will race in a lugging bit in the Class 2 Handicap (1900m).

“He looks pretty dour, and I’m sure will take improvement from this race, his first since last September,” Lees said.

Time and Again (Class 1 Handicap, 1200m, for fillies and mares) has returned from Queensland after a Sunshine Coast fourth on January 26, and looks well suited.

With Gibbons heading to Brisbane, Darryl McLellan rides the Lees pair at Gosford.