FNQ trainer Lee hopes to be trackside for Yes Dream

By Glenn Davis

Far North Queensland trainer Michael Lee hopes to be track side as he bids for a rare metropolitan win with his star sprinter Yes Dream in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Lee, who is best known in the south for his Queensland Cup win with Regal Punch in 2004, doesn’t get the opportunity to travel away from home as he runs a Chinese restaurant at Atherton on the North Queensland Tablelands.

The 62-year-old worked with Gerald Ryan in Sydney before moving to Atherton three decades ago and has been training for more than 20 years.

“I’m trying to get down to Brisbane for the race but there’s no guarantee,” the Malaysian-born Lee said.

“I’ve got to run the restaurant here but I’m not sure yet if I can find someone to replace me.”

Lee sent Yes Dream to Brisbane to chase QTIS prize money before the bonus scheme for three-year-old’s ends at the end of the month.

“I bred him and he’s QTIS registered but I’ve only got this race on Saturday and another one coming up that I can aim him for,” Lee said.

Yes Dream has started only seven times for five wins in North Queensland.

At his last start, he finished third on a rain-affected track behind the Matt Park-trained Be Water My Friend at Doomben. 

“It was a good run and if it was a dryer track, he would have performed better,” Lee said.

“Eagle Farm is a lot dryer track so hopefully he’ll go a lot better this time.”

Yes Dream’s best win was in a star-studded Northern Jewel at Townsville in May, which prompted the decision to send him south.

“Gerald Ryan trained his mother Platinum Ruby before she was sent to me after she developed a few feet issues,” Lee said.

“She only won three races but she’s doing well at stud.

“I’ve had a few foals out of her -  including Platinum Tycoon who won 11 races for me - and Ruby July, who has won six times including one for Jack Duncan at Eagle Farm.

“Ruby July is currently in pre-training with Ben Ahrens and she’ll probably go straight to Sydney.”

Lee is hopeful Yes Dream can be his third Brisbane winner and has named Lee Freedman’s Kalashnikov as the main danger.

Kalashnikov, a James Orman mount, started his career in Sydney with Peter and Paul Snowden and made his Queensland debut for Freedman with a fast finishing sixth to Princess Bojack at Ipswich on June 18.