Veteran trainer registers milestone

VETERAN horseman Steven Lee registered a personal milestone earlier this week.

Making the trip to Young on Tuesday night, Lee was successful with Roses Are Best, which broke a long drought from the winners’ circle.

With James Locke in the cart, Roses Are Best rated 1:59.8 over 1720 metres to notch her first victory since scoring in Goulburn last October when prepared by KerryAnn Morris.

Having her ninth start for Lee, the daughter of Bettors Delight completed a two-and-a-half metre win from Lookout, with Maisielouisa three metres away third.

Roses Are Best had previously been runner-up twice since joining Lee’s stable last June.

“She’s done a good little job since she got here,” Lee said. “She’s had a lot of chances and can keep being thereabouts in her grade when she gets the right trip.”

For Lee, the win was his 300th since digital records have been kept.

“That’s a nice acknowledgement, but there’d be a few early in my career missing,” Lee said. “I’m 70 and I’ve been training since I was 20, with Fickle Gently my first winner in Young.

“I can’t remember the exact year, but I reckon I was 21, so it would be roughly 1976.

“There haven’t been any superstars, but I’ve had some nice winners along the way.”