Forgotten stayer on comeback trail

Our Candidate in winning form under Brenton Avdulla. Photo: Jenny Evans–Getty Images

It’s been a long road back, but finally trainer Kris Lees can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel with forgotten galloper Our Candidate.

In the spring of 2019, the imported stayer signalled he was a horse of the future when ending his first Australian campaign with a third placing in the Group 3 Newcastle Cup.

He resumed in January 2020 and finished third behind his future star stablemate Mugatoo, but things turned sour for Our Candidate.

Post-race he was found to have suffered a tendon injury in the run.

“You look back at the result of that race now and it makes you feel even worse when you see what Mugatoo went on to achieve,” Lees said.

“We did the full rehab, produced him 12 months to the day in the same race and the bloody thing flared up so we stopped and did another full rehab.”

On Wednesday Our Candidate stepped out for the first time publicly since the setback and was given an easy time in a 1000m trial at Newcastle.

“It’s been a long road but gee it was good to see him come through the trial,” Lees said.

“I was only talking about him to Jamie Lovett (Australian Bloodstock) after the trial. Racing has its ups and downs but you look back and it’s hard not to think what if.

“He went from a provincial class two to a Group 3 in his first prep then came back a better horse in his next campaign but it all went pear shaped.

“We’ll give him another trial and then probably look for a race over 1600m for him.

“So far so good.”

Lees said there are no targets locked in for Our Candidate, “it’s more a case of being guided by the horse” with many options spread throughout much of the year.

“Everyone that’s been riding him says he feels great under saddle so hopefully his problems are behind him and he can get back to something like the horse that he was,” Lees said.

“We’ll be guided by him but there are so many options for a horse like this these days.

“If he holds up then he’ll be up and going in the early part of the autumn and there’s a few suitable races over ground.

“We’ll just see how things play out.”