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By John Schell

The lure of a potential start in the $3 million Big Dance at Randwick on the first Tuesday in November was enough for Newcastle trainer Kris Lees to scratch classy galloper Kinloch from Saturday’s Group 3 Show County Quality at Randwick in preference for Sunday’s Goulburn Cup.

The $200,000 Goulburn Cup (1400m) carries Big Dance eligibility for the Randwick feature that will be contested on November 5, and Lees believes Kinloch is well up to winning both events.

Kris Lees with the inaugural Big Dance trophy (Pic: Steve Hart)

“He’s a horse that is closing in on $1 million in prizemoney, and if he could get to that mark by winning the Goulburn Cup it would be a great achievement,” said Lees.

Kinloch was a winner of the Provincial-Midway Championships at Randwick in 2022, an event in which stablemate Rustic Steel finished fourth.

They both then contested The Coast at Gosford with Rustic Steel winning and Kinloch running ninth.

Rustic Steel went on to win the inaugural Big Dance in 2022, and Lees believes Kinloch can do the same.

“His form earlier in the year was very good,” Lees said.

“He’s already finished second in the Muswellbrook Cup and Tamworth Cup and he did win the Sunshine Coast Cup at Listed level back in January.

“He hasn’t raced since finishing fifth in the Luskin Star at Scone over the carnival and he’s had two trials leading into the Goulburn Cup, with the latest being a good hitout.

“I couldn’t be happier with how he’s going, and Nash Rawiller is going to Goulburn for the one ride.

“He’s drawn wide, but I’m sure Nash can overcome that.”

There will be an international flavour in the Goulburn Cup with South African jockey Lyle Hewitson combining with Wagga trainer Tim Donnelly when riding Cliff House from the outside gate.

Hewitson is based in Hong Kong where he’s enjoyed plenty of success, and has been riding in Victoria and South Australia over the Hong Kong off-season.

A Highway winner at Randwick earlier in his career, Cliff House won the Albury Mile and Gundagai Cup in March and April this year, and resumes at Goulburn after a sixth in the Wagga Cup.

All the fields, form and replays for Sunday’s Goulburn meeting