KRIS Lees called on Damien Oliver to give him his 16th Group 1 winner, in the Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm in June.
Now he is again calling on the legendary Melbourne jockey to try to clinch him a second runner in Tuesday week's $8.4m Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Lees this morning confirmed he had booked the soon to retire Oliver for Kalapour in the Group 3 Lexus Archer Stakes (2500m) at Flemington; the winner automatically securing a Cup berth.
Lees, after conferring with major owners Lloyd and Nick Williams, also confirmed 11-times Group 1 winner Michael Dee will ride Cleveland, an impressive winner of last Friday night's $750,000 Gold Cup (2500m) at The Valley, in the famous "two-miler".
Cleveland carried 55.5kg (0.5kg overweight) when, with yesterday's Cox Plate winning rider James McDonald aboard, he defeated the 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare.
He has 51.5kg in the Cup, and is eligible for a penalty.
Kalapour , the Group 3 Chairman's Handicap (2000m) winner at Doomben in May, has finished third at Royal Randwick at his last two starts – in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) on September 30, and ATC St Leger Stakes (2600m), in which Cleveland was runner-up, on October 14.
"Kalapour will be sent to Melbourne during the week," Lees said this afternoon.
"Provided he runs well on Saturday, even if he doesn't win, there is every likelihood we will back him up in the Cup should he make the field."
Kalapour (50kg) is currently 35th in order of entry (24 can run), but there are expected to be more Cup dropouts when third acceptances are taken tomorrow (Monday).
Not only was Lees pleased to get Cleveland back into winning form (without blinkers) as he heads towards the Cup with a real possibility of giving major owner Lloyd Williams a remarkable eighth success in the great race, but also with the manner in which the six-year-old stallion has come through The Valley assignment.
Cleveland won a 3749m Handicap for four-year-olds and upwards at Chester (England) in May last year, defeating Coltrane, who won the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup (3319m) at York two months ago.
Cleveland's Cup rider Dee won last year's Group 1 Caulfield Cup on Newcastle Gold Cup winner Durston, and has won a further four at racing's elite level this year.
They were the Blue Diamond Stakes (Little Brose) and Australian Guineas (Legarto) in Melbourne, the Coolmore Classic (Espiona) in Sydney, and more recently the Goodwood Handicap in Adelaide in May on Royal Merchant.
Dee rode favourite and fourth placegetter Lunar Flare in last Friday night's Gold Cup, but she suffered a career-ending injury and has been retired.
. Cleveland and Kalapour's stablemate Luncies arrived in Melbourne this morning to contest Wednesday's $500,000 Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m).
He has 59kg topweight, and Blake Shinn has taken the mount.
Shinn rode Luncies when runner-up to Vow And Declare in the Group 2 Sandown Classic (2400m) last November, and again when also second, to subsequent Caulfield Cup winner Without A Fight in the Group 3 Lord Mayor's Cup (1800m) at Eagle Farm in May.
