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By John Curtis

Kris Lees has called on track specialist Josh Parr in an attempt to successfully rekindle an earlier association with Luncies ($16 on TAB) in Thursday’s $200,000 Pioneer Services Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury.

Parr, who has ridden more winners (145) at Hawkesbury than any other course in his career, won a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1800m) there on the import at the annual Saturday stand-alone meeting in 2021.

It’s the only time he has been aboard the now eight-year-old gelding who was making his second Australian appearance for the leading Newcastle trainer after winning four of his first six starts in the UK.

Luncies & Josh Parr combine to score at Hawkesbury. Image by Bradley Photographers

Luncies has won only one race since – the Group 3-Tatt’s Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm in June last year when partnered by Parr’s brother-in-law Tim Clark – but remarkably has been placed 10 times; all in Listed or Group races.

They include being narrowly beaten in the Listed-Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m) at Flemington in 2022 when victory would have earned a “free ticket” into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) later that year, and second to subsequent Caulfield-Melbourne Cups winner Without A Fight in the Gr 3-Lord Mayors Cup (1800m) at Eagle Farm.

Luncies hasn’t started since finishing fourth to Deny Knowledge in the Listed-Grafton Cup (2350m) on July 18, and subsequently beat six rivals in a 1200m Warwick Farm barrier trial on August 12.

“It’s a nice option to take Luncies back to Hawkesbury for the Rowley Mile,” Lees said this morning. “He has fitness on his side, and is in really good order. The only query might be whether the 1600m proves a bit short for him.”

Lees has decided to take visors off Luncies and said it wasn’t for the first time: “We have switched them around before, and he trialled nicely without them at Warwick Farm,” he explained.

Whilst Parr hasn’t yet added a Listed-Rowley Mile to his record, he can lay claim to every other feature at Hawkesbury, including all four main events at the club’s stand-alone meeting, including three victories in the Hawkesbury Crown and two in the Gold Rush.

He has also won the Listed-Ladies Day Cup in November on three occasions, all for Chris Waller and including New Mandate last year.

Lees also is yet to snare the Rowley Mile, one of Hawkesbury’s iconic races first run in 1881 and named after the famous Rowley Mile course, one of two tracks at England’s Newmarket.

He ran a close second last year with another import Protagonist, who was retired after two more Sydney runs in Group company as a result of a recurrence of a tendon injury.

Lees also runs the mare Yankee Hussel (Jay Ford-$16), who has drawn the outside in a 12-horse field, whereas her stablemate jumps from the inside barrier.

Yankee Hussel also drew awkwardly when resuming in the Big Dance Eligibility Coffs Harbour Cup (1600m) on August 2, and made a bold bid to lead throughout before finishing third to Time Quest.

“She has taken improvement from Coffs, and well try to give them something to chase again,” Lees said.

Coincidentally, as with Luncies, Yankee Hussel also has raced once at Hawkesbury for success.

At her fifth start, she beat subsequent Gr 3-Festival Stakes winner Phearson in a Provincial Maiden Handicap (1300m) there in September, 2022.

Chris Waller has three Rowley Mile runners as he chases a seventh victory in the August feature. He starts Robusto (Tommy Berry-$7.50), Aleas (Kerrin McEvoy-$21) and Political Debate (Rachel King-$18).

Waller first won the “Mile” with Snow Alert in 2010, and then with McCreery (2016), Mister Sea Wolf (2018), Savacool (2020), Skyman (2022) and Bold Mac last year.

Tommy Berry scored on McCreery and Savacool, whilst last year’s successful rider Kerrin McEvoy also has scored twice, having won the 2014 edition on Mr Chard for Tony McEvoy.

Early favorite Williamsburg (Tyler Schiller-$3.60) also was entered for Friday’s Big Dance Eligibility Murwillumbah Cup (1550m). Understandably, co-trainers Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou quickly ruled that out when the last start Rosehill Gardens 1500m winner was given 66kg topweight.

Hawkesbury will present a Good 4 surface for the eight-race Rowley Mile card which kicks off at 12.45pm.

The rail is in the TRUE position, with a penetrometer reading at 8am on Wednesday of 5.03. A total of 9mls of rain has been recorded in the past seven days but nothing in the last 24 hours.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Hawkesbury here