Lee family back on track as major upgrades start to bear fruit

A new training track is reaping benefits in a big way for Terang trainer Marg Lee.

There was always going to be some short-term pain in getting to this point.

Right now, though, results are showing it was worth every moment of the wait.

“We now have a 1250-metre track - probably equivalent to any racetrack around,” Lee said.

“It’s fantastic. It’s made a huge difference. You can see it in all the horses.”

Lee had just two horses to the races from the start of June to early August last year while the track was being constructed to replace a tight circuit.

All the Lees had for that period to train on was a 1200m straight track, which limited options.

Now they have a complete package, with the new circuit and straight track complemented by a facility for water work.

The momentum for the team really started to pick up at the end of last season with five winners in December.

It hasn’t stopped since.

Still in the first month of 2023, Lee’s tally of winners has already reached 10 at a strike rate 40 per cent, and she’s well on the way towards topping 50 wins in a season for the seventh time since 2014-15.

The charge has been led by Jilliby Sylvester - or “The Cat” as he is affectionately known - and he will again be at the head of the Lee stable’s hopes at Tabcorp Park on Saturday night.

Lee is taking five starters to Melton, including Jilliby Sylvester for the Group 3 $50,000 Allied Express Casey Classic.

A potential start in the Group 1 $500,000 Del-Re National A. G. Hunter Cup on Saturday, February 4 is on the line for the six-year-old.

The Inter Dominion consolation winner from last month has run into top form at the perfect time with wins in the Hamilton Pacing Cup and Syd Hill Pace at Ballarat over the past two weeks.

When it comes to the Hunter Cup, Lee said it was something they would consider if Jilliby Sylvester was in contention for a run, although to this point they had not looked that far forward.

Lee also sends around Keayang Livana in the Group 2 $50,000 TAB V L Dullard Trotters Cup, Keayang Tokyo in the Group 2 $100,000 VHRC Caduceus 3YO Classic, Keayang Jackie in the Nevele R Stud Pace and Jilliby Dynamite in the Betavet Pace on Saturday night.

Keayang Livana, a last-start winner of the Hamilton Trotters Cup, has been relatively lightly raced since winning the Group 1 Vicbred Super Series final for four-year-old trotting mares at the end of 2020, but it is no surprise that Lee has a lot of time for her.

Lee said the now seven-year-old had had some issues and had a special training program developed for her, including a lot of work on the straight track.

She said Keayang Livana would most likely go back from the outside gate this weekend.

“We’ll save her to run on late. Hopefully there’s speed on,” she said.

Keayang Tokyo is facing his biggest test after just two starts, which includes a win on debut at Geelong.

“It’s a big step-up, but I really like him,” Lee said.

”Hopefully he can get a bit of cover and run on.”