On a race day which promises to be an important autumn carnival preview, Newcastle trainer Kris Lees finds himself in an enviable position.

Lees will have four runners in three stakes events at Randwick on Saturday while his other entrant, Selectify, will tackle a support race in the hope of adding his name to the trainer's carnival team.

Headling Lees' Randwick acceptors is Caulfield Cup placegetter Lucia Valentina who resumes in the Group Two Apollo Stakes.

Lees also runs Onemorezeta in the Light Fingers Stakes while Thump and Hera kick off their campaigns in the Triscay Stakes.

It is a team rich in depth and one Lees is unveiling a week after celebrating a career-first six winners across three meetings.

Nor does it include Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist who is less than three weeks away from his return in Victoria.

Lees has assembled his best team since the heady days of Samantha Miss and County Tyrone.

It is reflective of racing's cyclical nature, hard work and a little bit of luck.

"I don't think you ever stop working hard in this game. I'm just fortunate to be getting offered a better class of horse so I'm very grateful to all the owners who have supported us," he said.

Lucia Valentina will be chasing her first weight-for-age win in the Apollo, a race in which top-class mares traditionally performed well.

But against a field which boasts six heavyweights from the Chris Waller yard along with Godolphin's import Contributer and star New Zealand mare Silent Achiever, Lees is keeping expectations in check.

"I'm not putting too much pressure on Saturday, it's a pretty hot race," he said.

"Things will just need to go her way but I can see her racing really well."

Perhaps the biggest boost for Lucia Valentina's connections is Hugh Bowman's decision to take the ride.

Bowman tested the four-year-old in a recent Newcastle barrier trial and it was enough for him to commit to her in the Apollo.

Christian Reith rides Onemorezeta who also strikes a top field in the Light Fingers headed by Golden Slipper winner Mossfun and Flight Stakes heroine First Seal.