KRIS Lees was more subdued than normal after a Group 1 win. Having just watched the Not A Single Doubt gelding Clearly Innocent win his ninth race from 15 starts in the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup over 1,350 metres at Eagle Farm, Lee’s mind was on the horse’s former trainer.

“It’s as much Greg Bennett’s win today and hopefully he got a big kick out of it as well,” said Lees of the former Scone-based trainer who won the Country Championship at Randwick with Clearly Innocent last year before taking up a position with Aquis Farm in Queensland last February. He was very well looked after in the early stages of his career and I think I’m the one now getting the benefit of that.”

Sprinting sharply from midfield on a ‘bog’ track under Hugh Bowman, Clearly Innocent won with ease putting three lengths into his nearest rivals, the Dubawi gelding Jungle Edge and the Redoute’s Choice entire Counterattack.

“I got him a couple of months ago and we looked at the Stradbroke back then and made a plan to get there,” added Lees. “This is really a bonus because we thought he would be better suited in a handicap.”

Fastnet Rock tops Magic Millions

A FASTNET Rock weanling filly and three-quarter sister to the AJC Oaks winner Gust of Wind, has sold to Segenhoe Stud for A$525,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, the highest price paid for a weanling in 2017. “She was my pick of the sale on type, and I think she was best foal I’d seen in a couple of years, said Segenhoe’s Peter O’Brien. “She’s a beautiful mover, a lovely loose action with plenty of scope.”

Over two days the weanlings averaged $52,097 for 378 of 466 offered.