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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Kris Lees is confident consistent mare Imposant is on the cusp of a breakthrough in town and is banking on barrier one working in her favour at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Kris Lees (pic: Steve Hart).

The four-year-old has recorded three seconds on end in city company, two this preparation, and Lees said on Sky Sports Radio that there’s an opportunity for Imposant if Chad Schofield can give her the right run in the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale 9-11 Feb Handicap (1400m).

Imposant, $4.80 with TAB on Thursday, defied the pattern of the day second-up at Wyong to get within half a length of Headley Grange in a fast run Benchmark 72 two weeks ago.

Punter’s Intelligence data showed she ran the fastest last 600m of the race in 33.65 and final 200m of 11.55, a run that told Lees she’s in top order.

“She just couldn’t hold a spot early but you’d think the one alley at Randwick would be more suitable,’’ he said.

“If she can find a nice position in running she will be very strong late again and she’s probably our best chance on the card.”

Lees has already produced a city winning two-year-old this season in Rivellino and he’s sending Odaka to Randwick for the Agency Real Estate Handicap (1000m) on the back of two trial wins.

He said he couldn’t be quite as confident as he was with the colt, who had won a metropolitan trial, but it’s clear he has an opinion of the Ole Kirk youngster.

“She’s a really nice filly, a filly I have a bit of time for,’’ Lees said.

“It’s hard to line up provincial trial form, especially with two-year-olds going to a city race, but I’ve been quite pleased with everything she’s shown us at home.”

It was noticeable in her latest trial win that Odaka raced quite greenly but Lees is putting it down to the fact she is an unraced youngster who is still maturing.

“I think she had a good look at the big screen on the inside, that’s what it looked like to me, but with that experience under her belt I think she can run a race,’’ he said.

The Newcastle trainer feels stayer Almania isn’t far off returning to his best form so is interested in how he progresses second-up in the Complete Freight Services Handicap (2000m) where he’s also represented by Zaphod.

Almania contested The Lakes when having his first run since September, and just his second since last April, and showed Lees good signs as he finished 3-1/2 lengths from Waterford.

“He’s come on nicely off the back of that run, he might just take one more run off a long break,’’ he said.

“He has a bit of class on his side, a Canberra Cup winner, and probably not badly placed with his claim.”

In Zaphod’s case, Lees was a bit disappointed with his Wyong effort, finishing seventh behind Bullets High, despite a check nearing the turn and said he’d like to see some showers around to aid the four-year-old.

Imposant runs second at Wyong on January 11

“He lost a bit of momentum but fair to say I would have liked to see a bit more post that,’’ he said.

“He’ll probably appreciate the bigger circumference and in a perfect world he’d need a bit of rain, his wet track stats are starting to show up a bit clearer.”

Kris Lees on Hellavadancer (race 7): “She’s coming up well, she may just take a run but is in for a nice preparation. She’s another one that would appreciate a bit of cut in the ground.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting