Kris Lees is confident a match-fit Pins On Parade will take some catching despite meeting a quality field in the Listed Canterbury Classic.Pins On Parade lines up in the 1100 metre race after fading to a first-up third to Court over Thursday's distance in the Carrington Stakes at Randwick on New Year's Day.The gelding has drawn barrier eight of nine at Canterbury which is of no concern to the Newcastle trainer."His racing style suggests he will put himself into the picture and I think it will ta

Kris Lees is confident a match-fit Pins On Parade will take some catching despite meeting a quality field in the Listed Canterbury Classic.

Pins On Parade lines up in the 1100 metre race after fading to a first-up third to Court over Thursday's distance in the Carrington Stakes at Randwick on New Year's Day.

The gelding has drawn barrier eight of nine at Canterbury which is of no concern to the Newcastle trainer.

"His racing style suggests he will put himself into the picture and I think it will take something to catch him," Lees said.

The five-year-old jumped to the lead early in the Carrington before kicking strongly on straightening and pinching a big break near the 400 metres.

"I thought he was sweet coming to the furlong but he just couldn't find," Lees said.

"But the run topped his fitness up nicely for this and he should be finishing strongly."

It was Pins On Parade's first start since his seventh to stablemate Absolutelyfabulous in the Group Three Cameron Handicap (1300m) last September.

"He'll just cruise across without any great urgency and he doesn't have to lead and if something else does we'll just sit off it," Lees said.

Lees admits Pins On Parade will have to be at his best.

"It's a stronger field than he met in the Carrington with proven horses like Bank Robber and emerging ones like Pinwheel," he said.

TAB Sportsbet had Bank Robber as the $2.60 favourite ahead of Pinwheel ($2.90) in its first markets.

News Alert was on the third line of betting at $5 while Pins On Parade was at $10.

The Gai Waterhouse-trained Group One placed Bank Robber has topweight of 61kg, eight kilograms more than Pins on Parade who will be ridden by Tye Angland.

Bank Robber was fifth to Prince Braeman in the Listed Razor Sharp at Randwick in December.

Waterhouse had Bank Robber nominated for the Carrington Stakes but didn't accept with him because of a some niggling injuries.

Two starts back Bank Robber was third to All Silent in the Group One Patinack Farm at Flemington in November.

That run came after he was third, less than a length behind the winner Apache Cat in the AJ Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley.

The Peter Snowden-trained Pinwheel has won his past three starts by a combined margin of 9-1/2 lengths.

Last time out the Lonhro gelding led all the way to defeat Gangitano in a commanding 4-1/2 length win over 1200 metres at Rosehill on January 2.

The Con Karakatsanis-trained News Alert was the pre-post Carrington Stakes favourite before being scratched at the barriers.

Jockey Jim Cassidy requested the stakeswinner be vetted because of a shortening in his action when he cantered to the gates and he was subsequently found to be lame in a foreleg.

News Alert won the Listed Lightning Handicap (1100m) at Randwick in October.