Another interstate major on the radar

HAVING already captured a four-year-old major at Tabcorp Park Menangle this season, prominent horsewoman Marg Lee has set her sights on securing another.

Earlier this term Lee made the trek from her Victorian base to annex the Chariots Of Fire with Australian Pacing Gold graduate, Jilliby Kung Fu.

This time around Lee has set her sights on the New South Wales Breeders’ Challenge with last night’s Ararat Cup winner, Jilliby Bandit.

The Group One Final is scheduled to be conducted on July 1.

“The Breeders’ Challenge in Sydney is the main aim with him,” Lee said. “It is still a few months away, so he will just be kept ticking along as he works towards that.

“He’s won all three starts this time in and I’m very happy with the way he has come back.”

Driven by Lee’s son, Jason, in the provincial feature, Jilliby Bandit began quickly from the pole, but was unable to hold out Rule Of Thumb, which was surged forward to lead from barrier two.

Sprinting solidly along the passing lane, the son of Rock N Roll Heaven completed a metre-and-a-half win from Rule Of Thumb, with Motu Meteor a head away third.

An APG purchase like his stablemate, Jilliby Bandit rated 1:58.4 over 2195 metres, taking his record to 11 wins and six placings from 26 starts.

“He been a nice horse all along and is getting better with age,” Lee said. “He hasn’t done a lot of racing and should continue to improve as he goes along.”