Yes Please, We Want More!

Next month’s $105,000 Northern Jewel is shaping as one of the races of the year after boom galloper Yes Please nosed out the brilliant Palencia in an epic dress rehearsal at Cluden Park yesterday.

Now unbeaten in four starts, Yes Please out bobbed last season’s top two-year-old Palencia to win by a nose in the Mitavite 3YO Hcp (1200m) after a titanic struggle down the full length of the Cluden straight.

Yes Dream’s trainer Michael Lee was delighted with his gelding’s first-up run, saying class got him home.

“He was always going to be a bit vulnerable over the 1200m, but he showed he’s got the courage. I thought Palencia was going to get him in the last 100m but his class got him to the line,” Lee said.

“I’ll see how he pulls up and decide what we do. If he’s right there is a 1300m race in a fortnight.”

Palencia’s trainer Roy Chillemi was gracious in defeat and pleased with his gelding’s run under 60kg, giving Yes Dream 2.5kg.

“It was a great run, it’s tough under those sort of weights. I do think he (Palencia) will be a better horse out over further. He’s bred to get over a mile,” Chillemi said.

The two are both heading towards the Northern Jewel QTIS 3YO (1300m) on May 20 which will again be under handicap conditions.

Jockey Bonnie Thomson and flying filly Lily Of The Glen again showed they are a perfect match with a display of shear speed to win the BFQ Accountants Cl6 Plate (1000m).

Thomson landed her fourth win from just five rides on the speedy mare with tearaway tactics. 

The win was Thomson’s second for the day after scoring on Queen Of Manhattan who won the C.U.B. B65 Hcp (1609m). 

And she went within a whisker of winning the last on Catmosphere, only going down by a nose to Kefalonia and jockey Frank Edwards.

The double was a just reward for 44-year-old mum, who has had a tough year battling her way back to the saddle from serious injury.

Thomson was full of praise for the Rod Miller-trained Lily Of The Glen.

“You’ve got to let her roll; you can’t fight her. You just have to let her dictate to you and just go with it,” Thomson said.

“She’s a tough little critter and obviously every win has been different but you’ve got to have a good margin on her to see it out.

“It’s been a tough 12 months but I’m getting some of my old trainers like Alby (Molino) supporting me and that’s a big help.

“I only have the two in work and my plan now is to put more time into getting my riding up and going again and today was great.”

Kefalonia, which denied Thomson a treble, landed the second leg a winning double for trainer Chris Attard.

Racing in the Ares Australia colours, Kefalonia snatched a last stride win TAB B58 Hcp (1200m) after the stable struck early success with Crossfire Road, with Denicious Smith in the saddle, in the Cluden Park Mdn Plate (1200m).

Pictured: Lacey Morrison gets Yes Dream (inside) to bob at the right time to beat Palencia and Graham Kliese in a thrilling finish.

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