The field of 14 draws together gallopers from not only the city but provincial and country bases in what is looking to be the most difficult race to find the winner but assures racegoers of a great spectacle.

The change of jockeys came about on Taree Cup Prelude winner five-year-old mare Lady Evelyn which scored by nearly three lengths over 1600m on August 9.

He was ridden by Newcastle’s Andrew Gibbons who in the excitement of the win agreed to be on Jason Deamer’s mare in the cup.

“She was very dominant…gave me a great ride.

“Her acceleration was good…there is plenty of upside,” he said.

As for her taking on the 2000m of the cup, Gibbons said the mare would have no trouble as “she switches off good.”

Deamer reports that his charge has pulled up well from the Prelude win, is much more settled to run 2000m, advising that her recent sixth over 1800m was a good run, and she should be improved for her assignment where she has a 4.5kgd weight drop.

But in the intervening time, recent Taree Cup winning trainer, Newcastle’s premier mentor Kris Lees wanted Gibbons for a stable mount Dubaiinstyle.

The upshot is not all bad because Deamer has snapped up the services of Hall Of Fame jockey Robert Thompson who has had two rides on Lady Evelyn for a win over 1570m at Cessnock in May last year and repeated the dose at the same track and distance on June 4 this year.

What is more RT is in great form having had wins and placings at the Cairns Cup Carnival, he scoring in the $100,000 feature race over 2100m with We Just Love It ($4.80) last Saturday.

Lees is no stranger to having runners in the Taree event, he having a third with Admiral Jello last year behind Wyong gelding Private Ben, trained by Damien Lane, and had wins with Olympic Academy in 2016 and Slivovitz in 2015.

His late father, Max Lees, won with Mondo Rae in a dead-heat with Tuxedo Charlie in 1981.

Lees has three runners in this year’s cup—Dubaiinstyle, Olympic Academy and Our Gravano.

Dubaiinstyle has a win at the distance in its three wins and eight placings from 27 starts and last start finished well to run fourth over 1600m behind Sir Barb at Warwick Farm on August 1.

Eight-year-old Olympic Academy hasn’t won for nine starts but could surprise whereas Our Gravano was ninth to Raqeeq (beaten four lengths) over 2000m at Rosehill last start.

Best hope of a local win could come from five-year-old Port Macquarie gelding Cogliere, trained by Marc Quinn, which at its latest run was doing its best work at the end of 1600m when third behind Laurieton-owned Glitra in the $80,000 Coffs Harbour Cup.

Glitra has franked the form with a 4.5 lengths win over 1650m at Doomben last Saturday.

Quinn said his gelding showed he was becoming dour with a track gallop on Tuesday.

“They will all be hard to beat as they have good trainers but you have to have a crack at these races,” he said.

Lane is hoping to have back-to-back wins in the cup, this time with seven-year-old gelding All But Gone, engaging jockey Travis Wolfgram who won for him last year.

“He gets back but has a good turn of foot over the last furlong,” Lane said.

“I have targeted this race as he has a good weight to produce his best.”

Although he hasn’t won over the cup distance, he ran well at Rosehill over 1800m when probably at the end of a recent campaign.

Doug Ryan’s selections: