Lees eyes Kindergarten Stakes tilt for winning colt Under Focus
Trainer Kris Lees may consider the Kindergarten Stakes for Under Focus, the lightly raced colt who notched a victory on Randwick's Kensington circuit, surpassing his initial second-placing debut.
A $300,000 Easter yearling acquisition for Yulong, this youngster boasts breeding by Too Darn Hot from an unraced full sister of Group placegetter Condor, prompting Lees to explore higher-grade tests given the solid lineage.
The Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) over 1100m at Randwick scheduled for April 4 represents a viable option, subject to the colt's response after Wednesday's success in the 2026 Keeneland Breeders' Cup Handicap (1100m).
"I'd say we'd have to look at it. It's a week-and-a-half away," Lees said.
"We'll see how he pulls up and speak to the Yulong team, but they've got a really nice horse going forward."
Starting without luck, Under Focus was caught wide throughout the early stages in three and four wide berths until Tyler Schiller shifted him to race outside the pacesetter.
Quickening in the final stages alongside the leader, the colt took command and resisted Drumfire by 1-1/2 lengths, while Peyton finished third, two lengths adrift.
"He had to do a little bit of work early, so I thought there was some merit to the win," Lees said.
"Pre-race it looked a nice race with a bit of trial form and some exposed racehorses. He's done it both ends so it was a good effort."
In the two-year-old fillies' contest, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott's Reachin' Out set the pace and accelerated away to score by four lengths ahead of She's Extra, from the Lees stable.
Regan Bayliss, the winning rider, was struck by the filly's debut showing.
"Whatever she was going to do today she was going to improve on in leaps and bounds, so that's why it was such an impressive win," Bayliss said.
"She really let go today and never let anything get near her."
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott did not attend to discuss next steps, but Reachin' Out holds an entry in the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 11.
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