Ucalledit stays home for Sunshine Coast trip

[Wandering Eyes]

Missing a start in The Archer (1300m) will see Ucalledit (NZ) (Zacinto) run in a Stakes race at the Sunshine Coast.

A shorter trip for a Stakes race closer to home rather than extended travel to Rockhamptonwill see Ucalleditrun at the Sunshine Coast. 

Trainer Kris Lees has elected to start Ucalledit in the Listed ATC Cup (1200m) on Saturday after the gelding was an emergency in The Archer at Rockhampton on Sunday while also an acceptor in The Fitzroy Open (1300m) at that meeting. 

“It was probably more suitable that we didn’t have to travel him another six hours,” Lees said. 

“So, he’s going to the Sunshine Coast for the Listed 1200m race which will be a nice start off point for this preparation.” 

A former New Zealand galloper, Ucalledit joined Lees’ stable at the start of 2022 but really struck form when sent to Queensland in the last quarter of 2022. 

He won first-up at the Gold Coast in October, was beaten at Doomben before notching consecutive wins at the Sunshine Coast, Doomben and Eagle Farm. 

Ucalledit was sent for a break after finishing third in The Buffering (1350m) at Doomben on New Year’s Eve and started this campaign with a trial at Gosford in March before another one at Beaudesert last month. 

Lees said he was surprised with the progress Ucalledit made last campaign. 

“We took him to class six handicap first-up at the Gold Coast and he progressed all the way through to stakes company,” Lees said. 

“You could make a case that he could have been undefeated through the whole preparation. 

“He did surprise us a bit, but he overcame a throat operation which could have been the making of him.” 

Lees said Ucalledit now must rise to the next challenge through the Queensland Winter Carnival. 

He said the gelding’s rating means he will be required to run in the better-quality races, which may also mean a potential start in the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 10. 

“He’ll be nominated for the Stradbroke but he’s still a way off from being there,” Lees said. 

“We’ll see what rate of improvement he makes, but he’ll be nominated for all the features. 

“It will be a competitive winter, but he’s in good order.”

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