Kris Lees was probably feeling a little out of sorts as he positioned himself in front of a TV monitor at Kembla Grange to watch the running of the Spirit Of Boom Classic at Doomben.
The Newcastle based trainer had made one of his rare visits to the South Coast track to watch three stable runners compete in The Gong. One of the trio, El Dorado Dreaming finished on the heels of the placegetters after a chequered run in the home straight.
This was right on top of a frustrating day on his home track a week earlier when Kris experienced the highs and lows of the business all in one race. He was understandably pleased with the effort of Tactical Advantage in running second to Savatiano in The Hunter, but devastated by the unplaced efforts of three other runners.
Talented mare Invincible Gem ran arguably the worst race of her career, while Graff and Le Romain both suffered bleeding attacks. A lung wash over the weekend revealed that Graff had bled internally, while the stable “war horse” Le Romain bled from both nostrils incurring an automatic three month ban. Graff went straight to the paddock, with his future uncertain.
Another high profile stable representative Miss Fabulass had accepted for a suitable BM 88 over 1300 metres on the day, but was withdrawn on race morning. “I was sorely tempted to run Miss Fabulass in the Newcastle race, but I’d spotted a perfect race for her at Doomben seven days later “, said Kris. “he Brisbane race was for fillies and mares only and was worth the same money. Owner John Singleton let me have my way, and it came off”.
Image courtesy Trackside Photography - Miss Fabulass showed what she can do with a spectacular win at Doomben 23/11/201.
This mare has had to live with her celebrity status from the moment she first appeared at Newcastle trackwork. “That’s Singo’s filly, she’s by Frankel out of Samantha Miss”, would have been a typical comment at the time. Come to think of it she still creates the same interest, even though her wayward behaviour on race days generates more publicity than her flawless bloodlines.
Her celebrated sire Frankel went to stud in the UK unbeaten in a fourteen start career. Ten of the fourteen were Group 1’s. The aggregate winning margin between the champion and those that ran second to him was a whopping 76.5 lengths.
The dam of Miss Fabulass wasn’t quite as imposing on the racetrack, but her record was good enough to generate an Australian broodmare record price when an injury forced her premature retirement.
Samantha Miss (Redoute’s Choice - Millyet) cost the late Ron Croghan $1.5 million at an Inglis Easter Yearling sale. Young Kris Lees had been training for just four years, when the stylish filly walked into his Newcastle stable. “She had a super pedigree, stunning looks and faultless temperament”, recalls Kris. “It would have come as a massive shock had she not made the grade”.
She did more than make the grade, winning the Champagne Stakes at her fifth start before heading to the paddock. Samantha Miss fairly exploded in her spring 3YO preparation winning the Silver Shadow, Furious, Tea Rose and Flight Stakes consecutively before going straight into the Cox Plate. “From the Flight Stakes to the Cox Plate seems such a massive task, but that’s how good she was”, says Kris. “It wasn’t a vintage Cox Plate and she ran a cracking third to Maldivian and Zipping”.
Samantha Miss started at $1.90 in the Crown Oaks twelve days later, completely dominating fifteen rivals to stroll home by 3.5 lengths.
Image courtesy Steve Hart Photographics - Samantha Miss toyed with her rivals in the 2008 Crown Oaks.
The classy filly returned in the early Autumn amidst great expectation. She just quietly followed them around in a barrier trial at Wyong before resuming in the Light Fingers Stakes (Gr 2 ) at Randwick. Race fitness probably came against her, and she was beaten half a head by the David Payne trained Rock Me Baby. The upcoming fillies’ classics in Sydney looked to be at her mercy.
Kris Lees was at the Wyong barrier trials when the phone call came to alert him that Samantha Miss had pulled up slightly scratchy after an easy gallop on the Newcastle course proper.
By the time he returned to his stables, substantial filling was evident around one front tendon and within minutes the vets were scanning the injury.
A nasty tear to a superficial flexor tendon had brought the great filly’s racing career to a premature end. The news hit Kris and stable staff hard. “It was devastating news, but the worst part was yet to come said the trainer. “I had the job of ringing her owner Ron Croghan who’d been in ill health for some time. This filly had given him a reason to keep going. It was the toughest call I’ve ever had to make to an owner”.
With his health failing, Ron Croghan decided to offer his prized filly at the Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale 0f 2009. He expected her to be in keen demand, but he certainly didn’t expect her to make an Australian broodmare record price of $3.8 million, knocked down to John Singleton.
Image courtesy Bradley Photographers - John Singleton went to extraordinary lengths to breed himself a Frankel foal.
Five years later Samantha Miss became the centerpiece of a plan hatched by Singo as he gazed at the mares and foals on his Strawberry Hills Stud at Mt. White. He would fly Samantha Miss to England to be served to southern hemisphere time, by the iconic Frankel.
The sheer magnitude and mind boggling expense of the exercise created the surreal environment into which Miss Fabulass was born in 2015. “She seemed a tractable enough filly in the early days and I certainly didn’t expect the problems that would surface later”, says Kris Lees.
She won two of three barrier trials over Xmas/New Year 2017/18 before making her debut in a Maiden 2YO at Rosehill on Feb 28th 2018. Apart from tossing her head a few times in the early stages, she travelled fairly kindly among the tailenders before zooming home to get to within a short neck of the winner Cristobal. Then it was back to Strawberry Hills for a long break.
One barrier trial fitted Miss Fabulass for a return to racing in a Maiden 3YO at Canterbury on August 15th, 2018 with Kerrin McEvoy up. Heavy scratchings reduced the field to only three runners. She started at odds on despite the presence of a smart Godolphin gelding called Ranier - subsequent winner of two stakes races. She led her two rivals in a fairly relaxed manner before striding away to win with ease.
Next start she finished only sixth beaten 2.4 lengths in the Furious Stakes, and it was impossible to find an excuse. She trailed two leaders to the turn, travelled tractably and plodded to the line.
It was no surprise when she started at $10.00 in the 1400m Tea Rose Stakes two weeks later. Apart from one or two little “head tosses” at the 800m when she had to ease slightly, she again travelled generously.
McEvoy had to switch course a couple of times before he found a split. When the gap appeared Miss Fabulass did what Lees and Singo had always known she could do. She fairly exploded through to put paid to the talented Fiesta in the Gr 2.
Image courtesy Bradley Photos - This was the day the real Miss Fabulass emerged - a brilliant win in The Tea Rose Stakes.
Kris must have been at peace with the world as he returned to Newcastle that night. At last this royally bred filly was giving all of her bad habits away.
At last she could possie up in the best of company and use her lethal turn of foot. The trainer couldn’t wait for the Flight Stakes to roll around in a fortnight’s time.
Miss Fabulass travelled fairly tractably in fifth or sixth spot to the 800 metres when she started to get a little anxious. McEvoy allowed her to stride up three wide outside the leaders Miss Catarina and Mizzy. She hit the front at the 200m with Fiesta threatening and Oohood and Nakeeta Jane looming large. The Frankel filly finished fourth in a thrilling finish only inches from the winner Oohood. Kris Lees was pretty content when Singo’s blueblood headed home to Strawberry Hills for a spell.
Her following preparation is best forgotten. She was OK in two barrier trials and didn’t have much luck when unplaced in the Light Fingers and the Surround Stakes. She was only three lengths from the winner on both occasions.
With McEvoy required for The Autumn Sun, it was poor old Jason Collett who drew the short straw in the Randwick Guineas. When the leaders walked to the first turn, Collett allowed the filly to slip quietly around them in the hope she’d come straight back to him. Miss Fabulass had different ideas and in a twinkling was eight lengths in front. She finished fourteen lengths from The Autumn Sun.
Kris explained that Miss Fabulass completely lost her way in the autumn preparation. “She became very aggressive in every race and every track gallop”, said the trainer. “She’s a lovely quiet mare around the stable, but would change completely under saddle”.
She resumed as a spring four year old last month with a new racing technique. She was taken straight back at the start in consecutive races at Randwick, and it was obvious that Kris was trying to get her to switch off straight away. She never got into those two recent races, but wasn’t beaten very far.
Image courtesy Bradley Photographers - Kris Lees has had a few sleepless nights over Miss Fabulass.
Fast forward to Doomben on Saturday and you probably wondered why Andrew Mallyon suddenly appeared as her new rider. Kris Lees explained that Mallyon (grandson of Mick and brother to Katelyn) recently moved from Albury to the Gold Coast. “He actually offered to ride some work for me in Queensland in the hope a few rides might come his way”, said Kris. “I explained that I only have fifteen horses up there, but suggested he start riding work at the Coast where other trainers are sure to seek his services”.
It’s interesting to watch the replay of the Doomben race. Miss Fabulass has obviously learned a lesson from those two recent Randwick runs because she put herself straight out the back after beginning on terms with the field.
With Spirit’s Choice setting a sizzling tempo in front, Miss Fabulass was able to travel sweetly in front of only two runners and she appeared to be barely on the bit. “I thought she had no hope turning for home and even when she got to the outside her chances looked remote”, said Kris Lees.
“You saw what she can do when she conserves energy. The next test will come if the speed slackens off in her races. We’re not out of the woods yet”.
Only time will tell if this product of the ‘dream mating’ will do her bit to uphold the lofty standards achieved by her celebrated parents. She’ll go one way or the other.
If she goes the right way she has enough raw talent to be one of the best mares in the country.
(Banner image courtesy Bradley Photographers - Miss Fabulass opens her winning account Canterbury 15/08/2018.)