On Saturday, November 16, 2024, Mr Lee, owned and trained by Lee Clarke, showcased an impressive performance in this year’s Abbie Grannum Memorial Cup, demonstrating dominance for a juvenile competitor albeit against a weak set of rivals.
Ridden by Matthew Bennett, Mr. Lee left his rivals far behind in the maiden special weight race for native-bred two-year-olds running 7 furlongs. The winning margin was an astonishing 20 ½ lengths, achieved with incredible ease.
His winning time of 1:30.0 (24.1 x 48.4 x 1:15.4) highlighted his performance, as he left the rest of the field trailing.
In a post-race interview, Trainer Lee indicated that his charge, who provided him with his first victory this year, will not be over-raced.
“Mr Lee came out of his racing assignment in good order. He ate well as usual, and there were no visible signs of anything unusual.
“For sure, he will not be over-raced. I have the one-mile Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes in late December as his main objective as a juvenile, which is the most coveted race for the age group,” Clarke stated in his interview.
Clarke also shared a more extensive plan for Mr Lee.
“This horse is well-bred by Spieth out of Kipling Weekend, and I want him to grow as he is still somewhat small, and develop into a candidate for next year’s three-year-old Classic races starting with the 2000 Guineas,” Clarke explained.
Competing with the visor on, Mr Lee started strong when the race commenced, duelling with All Together (Oneil Mullings) down the backstretch. By the half-mile (800m), Mr. Lee seized control of the race, steadily extending his lead.
As he turned for home with no rivals in sight, Mr Lee accelerated, powering through for a convincing win. Althia (Phillip Parchment) finished second, while Badgal Caleesi (Larris Allen) came in third.
