Lees finds new time to test unbeaten record as back-up assignment
October 29, 2026 — 1:44pm Kris Lees hopes a fresher approach to 2000m with Tavi Time will help keep the seven-year-old unbeaten at the trip when the Newcastle trainer switches to plan B in the $750,000 Sydney Gold Cup at Randwick. Tavi Time was third last start in the Big Dance Wildcard (1600m), which offered the final two places in the $3 million mile race held at Randwick next Tuesday. After falling a half-length short of a third appearance in the Big Dance, where he was eighth last year and fourth in 2024, Tavi Time will step up in distance for the listed Sydney Gold Cup on Saturday, which has been renamed from the Rosehill Gold Cup. Lees, who won the inaugural Big Dance with Rustic Steel in 2022 and is unlikely to have a starter this year, has taken Tavi Time to 2000m twice in 33 starts and both have been wins in the group 3 Summer Cups at Randwick on Boxing Day in…