Kris Lees at Broadmeadow. Picture: Peter Lorimer

Clearly Innocent goes to Brisbane after his rampant Luskin Star Stakes win and Lees expects the five-year-old to be competitive in the weight-for-age sprint.

“This is a big step up from Listed class to Group 1 so it will be interesting to see how he races,” Lees admitted.

“If he can finish in the first few it might earn him a little bit extra in the weights (for the Stradbroke Handicap).’’

Kris Lees to run Clearly Innocent in the Darley Kingsford-Smith Cup. Picture: Peter LorimerSource:News Corp Australia

The Stradbroke weights are announced next Monday and Lees said if he was certain Clearly Innocent would make the field for Brisbane’s feature sprint on June 10 then he probably would not have run the horse in the Kingsford-Smith Cup.

Hugh Bowman will again partner Clearly Innocent after they combined to score so well at Scone.

Clearly Innocent is the $5.50 second favourite in TAB Fixed Odds betting behind Victoria’s Black Heart Bart at $3.50.

#Jeff Lloyd rode a treble at Ipswich yesterday and in the process broke the Queensland record for most number of wins in a season. Lloyd has now ridden 156 winners in the state to break the previous mark held by Chris Munce.

Originally published as Clear-cut decision for Lees to run Innocent