Family connections, on and off the track, would make Bangetta an extra special winner of the Max Lees Classic (900m) for two-year-olds on Saturday at Newcastle.
Bangetta is one of two fillies chasing a first win in the race for Max's son, Kris, who took over running the Newcastle stable after his father's death in 2003.
Kris, who has added 15 group 1 wins to the 20 Max prepared for the operation, is a part-owner of Bangetta, along with his mother, Vicki. Other owners include prominent breeder Bob Hannon, who enjoyed black-type success with Lees-trained Razeta at Flemington last week.
The ownership group are the same which raced Bangetta's granddam, Shalt Not, which Max trained to great success, including victory in the 3YO Magic Millions at Rosehill in 1999. She also won her maiden over 900m at Newcastle.
"This race was once called the Coca-Cola Classic and her grandmother, a horse called Shalt Not, won it," Kris said.
"Everyone in this horse was part of the syndicate that raced Shalt Not more than 20 years ago, so it's been a very good family for connections.
"It's nice that there's a race named after Dad, and it would be nice to win."
Bangetta and Lees' other runner, Tracy's Spirit, which has his wife, Kristy, as a part-owner, are unraced and coming off one trial. Bangetta won comfortably at Newcastle, while Tracy's Spirit was untapped at Wyong.
"She's a nice filly," Lees said of Bangetta. "It's hard to line up synthetic trial form and all bar one in it are unraced.
"It doesn't look like a race with any standout in it, so it will be good to see how she reacts.
"Tracy's Spirit is raced by an Australian Bloodstock ladies syndicate and she's a half-sister to a handy mare we had, Redoute's Image. She's a really nice filly and had a soft trial on Monday, and she came through it nicely."
In the $300,000 The Beauford (2300m), Newcastle apprentice Dylan Gibbons will be chasing another Hunter day highlight, this time aboard Lees-trained Our Candidate.
Gibbons won his first stakes race this time last year, taking out the Spring Stakes on Festival Dancer.
And Gibbons was confident of another win after taking Our Candidate to a half-length third at Rosehill last start.
"He went super in town the other day and he's knocking on the door," said the 21-year-old, who has lowered his minimum weight to 53kg for the day.
"It's not the world's strongest race, especially for the money they are racing for, so it's a great race for him, especially down in the weights."
Lees said: "We were umming and arrring whether to run but at acceptances time, it didn't come up as strong as what the nominations appeared, so we'll give him his chance.
"He's not a big horse so to get in at the light weight is probably a good opportunity for him."
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