Deon Le Roux gives Fuadee some acknowledgement as he returns to scale at Kembla on Saturday - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

Jim and Greg Lee continue to wonder how Fuadee ever won two races as a stallion. Now a five year old and the veteran of just seven starts, Fuadee won at his third start for the Lee brothers when he got home in a Gosford Super Maiden on New Year’s Eve last year. Following a freshen up the four year old had two quiet trials before winning another race, this time a BM64 at Hawkesbury in late March. His following two runs were below par and the reason was obvious.

By this time he’d become a very ornery four year old stallion, with a negative attitude to his role as a racehorse, and a very positive one to any unsuspecting filly or mare that happened to venture too close. “He was becoming pretty hard to get on with and was clearly not putting in at the races,” recalled Greg Lee. “Owner Fred Khedoori would have preferred to leave him an entire, but realised the horse had no future on the track if not gelded. The procedure was carried out with no complications in April and the horse was then turned out for a good spell.

On resuming in July Fuadee was given two easy trials, after which Jim and Greg identified Saturday’s 1000m BM64 at Kembla Grange as a suitable first up assignment. His manners at home and on the training track had improved markedly, and it was a totally professional package that turned up on Saturday. His topweight of 61.5 kgs indicated the handicapper hadn’t missed his wins at Gosford and Hawkesbury. Jim and Greg had no hesitation in utilising the 3kg claim of stable apprentice Deon Le Roux who’d ridden Fuadee capably in both previous wins.

Le Roux followed instructions to the letter by allowing the five year old to jump under his own steam from a wide gate before settling in front of only two horses. At the 600m the speedy Misty Veil led Where’s The Circus, Aegipan, Still Alice, and Big Day Out. Fuadee was every bit of nine lengths from leader Misty Veil on straightening for home but in a perfect rhythm. He fairly exploded when Le Roux angled him to the extreme outside. Fuadee had the leaders covered in fifty metres and was going away on the line to score by a widening half length from Aegipan. Another fifty metres and that margin would have been significantly greater. The firm ground enabled them to run a very slick 56.88 with a rapid last 600m in 33.34. Not surprisingly Fuadee was credited with a sizzling 32.66 seconds for his closing 600m.

Fuadee reeled off some slick sectionals to swamp the leaders in Saturday's BM64 at Kembla - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

There’s a good backstory to this son of Everest winner Yes Yes Yes and the unraced Choisir mare Blue Sky Baby. With Coolmore Stud acting as agent he was knocked down to Anthony Cummings for $140,000 at the 2023 Gold Coast yearling sale. Around fifteen months later he was one of several young horses purchased privately from Anthony Cummings by Jim and Greg Lee and stable clients. His current form is testimony to the fact that he was put under no pressure early days. The colt’s purchaser was long time stable supporter Fred Khedoori who’s had horses in the Lee stable for forty years. The best performed of those include Mr. Victory who won a Gr 3 Missile Stakes and went very close in a Gr 2 Premiere Stakes, and Keepin’ The Dream who won a swag of top provincial and country races including a Newcastle Newmarket, a listed Rowley Mile, a Gr 3 Hawkesbury Cup, a listed Scone Cup and a listed Gosford Cup.

Another successful purchase for Fred Khedoori was New Zealand filly Seattle Gem who had only a handful of starts in Australia but won a Gr 3 Furious Stakes for her new owner. Another of his great favourites was Fouardee who won eight races including two Gr 3’s and three at listed level complemented by countless placings. Perhaps his best run in defeat was a creditable 7th, beaten only two lengths in Show A Heart’s 2002 Stradbroke. Fred Kheddori is in remarkably good health at 92 years of age and enjoying his racing as much as ever. Such was Fred’s affection for Fouardee that he opted for an abbreviation of the name when the time came to register his Yes Yes Yes colt. By simply leaving out two letters he came up with Fuadee and was delighted when the registrar gave it the tick of approval.

Fred Khedoori has had horses in the Lee stable for 40 years. Here he is responding after Fouardee's win in the 2002 Concorde Stakes. In the background to Fred's right is Jim Lee - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

Special mention of Deon Le Roux who still marvels at his good fortune in being able to land an apprenticeship with the Lee stable so soon after his arrival in Sydney in late 2024. Deon was born in the Republic of Zimbabwe but relocated to the UK with his parents in early teens. He signed up for his initial apprenticeship with former jockey Richard Hughes at Lambourn in Berkshire, second only to Newmarket as England’s largest thoroughbred training precinct. Under the skilful tutelage of Hughes young Deon progressed rapidly and registered his first win on a horse called Brunel Downs at Lingfield in Surrey. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to follow up in subsequent months and forty nine more rides went by without a win.

Deon was on the sidelines with a cruciate ligament strain when UK jockey Robbie Downey told him of an opportunity coming up in Sydney with the Lee stable. Arrangements were put in place and by the time Deon arrived in Australia his injury had repaired satisfactorily. He formed an instant rapport with Jim and Greg Lee and quickly adapted to the trackwork routine at Randwick. The occasion of his first winning ride in Australia had all the trimmings of a fairy tale. It was Boxing Day of last year and Nowra trainer Warren Ganderton knew enough about the overseas rider to entrust him with the ride on Human Shield in a BM50 on the tricky Queanbeyan track. With the benefit of Deon’s 4kg claim Human Shield trailed leader Friskee Frog throughout before grabbing him on the line to give the young jockey a milestone moment.

Few took any notice of the rowdy racegoers who gave Deon a Melbourne Cup reception as he brought Human Shield back to the enclosure. The cheer squad was composed of his parents, girlfriend and a handful of British friends who’d arrived in Sydney on Christmas Day. The group had shrugged off the inevitable bout of jetlag to get themselves to the Queanbeyan racecourse to watch their countryman launch his Aussie career. Deon’s only other ride of the day Hardazhell finished fourth, and he headed off back to Sydney a very contented young jockey. Little did he realise there would be more of the same just six days later.

The same cheer squad joined a huge crowd of holiday makers at the popular Gosford course on New Year’s Eve to watch Deon overcome a tough run on his favourite Fuadee to win a 1200m Super maiden. Caught three wide from a tricky gate Deon had to take his medicine on the lightly raced four year old, but didn’t panic and quickly got his mount into a good rhythm. Despite being pushed even wider on the corner Fuadee let down as he did last Saturday and won convincingly.

Deon's second Aussie win - a Super Maiden at Gosford last New Year's Eve on Fuadee - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

Deon Le Roux surrounded by family and friends after Fuadee's Gosford win on 31/12/2025. Deon's parents just arrived from England at centre of photo - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

Just eight months later apprentice Deon Le Roux is sitting on twenty winning rides and improving at the rate of knots. His 3kg claims on metropolitan and provincial tracks are gradually beginning to attract the attention of outside stables. Greg and Jim Lee have nothing but praise for the twenty three year old and expect him to make a name for himself going forward. Greg’s assessment was endorsed only recently by multiple Gr 1 winning jockey Adam Hyeronimus who rates Deon as a top prospect.

Fuadee isn’t the only horse showing ability from the crop purchased last year from retiring trainer Anthony Cummings. Four year old Hy ( Yes Yes Yes - Leviosa) has two recent Hawkesbury seconds to his credit and is knocking on the door. Another four year old My Ju Ju (Turffontein - Lala Lala) has been trialling impressively and looks a ready made type. It’s not surprising that a son of Turffontein was among the horses dispersed by the affable Anthony Cummings. His high regard for the son of Johannesburg was vindicated by the stallion’s two wins at Gr 1 level in the Rupert Clark Stakes and William Reid Stakes of 2010. Anthony himself will be keeping a close eye on the progress of My Ju Ju.

Many punters have wondered about the whereabouts of the promising Glorious Moments who hasn’t been seen since July 4th when he disappointed in the black type Winter Stakes at Rosehill. It’s well known that the gelding dislikes being cluttered between horses as he was at Rosehill, but Greg was firmly of the opinion that the horse raced “flat” in comparison to his brilliant win at Randwick on June 20th. Serious hoof issues early in his career have resulted in the son of Brutal being restricted to just eight starts so far. His four wins have all been on metropolitan tracks. In keeping with their patient style of training Jim and Greg have had this horse in “cotton wool” for most of his career. His lacklustre performance in the Winter Stakes prompted the trainers to get him straight into the paddock. “He had a month off and is currently in pre-training,” said Greg. “He’s jumping out of his skin and there’s little doubt he’d come to the end of it when he raced disappointingly at Rosehill. I’ll be amazed if this bloke doesn’t win a black type race before he’s finished.”

NEW LOOK FUADEE FAIRLY FLIES AT KEMBLA GRANGE

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