Ballina Trainer heading to Rocky.

Ballina trainer Stephen Lee is set to locate a barn full of horses in Rockhampton from next week until the end of the TAB Rockhampton Cup Carnival.

On the advice of fellow trainer, leading bush horseman Pat Webster, Lee said he will head to Rocky with eight horses early next week and will bring additional horses here after that.

Lee, who has raced successfully in Rockhampton in past years, said that he is in the process of completing his paperwork for QRIC, as a visiting trainer, and his intention is to base his horses at Callaghan Park for a month.

“I need to get my horses raced,” Lee said. “The Northern Rivers (NSW) has lost 21 races since March, and the wet weather is still around.”

The trainers’ team will include Rockhampton Cup and Newmarket prospects.

“Those horses will race in Brisbane next week and I will have them on the second truck to Rockhampton,” Lee said.

Lee is yet to name his horses that will be travelling to Callaghan Park, but former French galloper Caprice Des Dieux, who is engaged over 1600m at Doomben on Saturday could be one of them.

A 7YO black gelding by Declaration of War, Caprice Des Dieux has won $248,000 and has above average ability. The Rosehill placegetter is yet to post an Australian win but looked close to form when an unlucky fourth behind Caboche in the Gibson Handicap at Eagle Farm over 1800m in April. The long spacious straight at Callaghan Park would suit him. Lee also trains the speedy Bring Me Kash who is best suited in races over 1000m, and he may also make the trip north.

Lee was raised in ‘horse heaven’ in the Hunter Valley, and has spent a lifetime around horses. He trained successfully at Coffs Harbour before moving to Ballina in the early eighties. Lee knows what it takes to train top class horses with Group 2 and Group 3 success plus multiple metropolitan winners in Brisbane and Sydney. He has also won two Northern Rivers Racing Association Premierships, and numerous country cups.

RJC CEO, David Aldred.

(Photo Credit: NT News)