And another strong performance in the Group 3 Manion Cup (2400m) could put him firmly in the picture to tackle the $2m Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick on April 8 (Day 2 of The Championships).
A member of the Australian Bloodstock team, Almania was narrowly beaten over 2000m at the 2020 Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington, and went amiss at his next run at Rosehill a few weeks later.
Tendon and knee problems kept him off the scene for two years before he resumed with an eye-catching third in the Maroubra Mile at Randwick on New Year's Eve.
At his fourth run back after such a lengthy layoff, the seven-year-old clinched his first Australian win at Rosehill last Saturday in a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1900m).
"You never know how they will go until you back them up, but I feel Almania will handle it," Lees said this morning.
"Whilst it's obviously a fair step up in grade to a Group 3, Almania is in good order and I expect him to run well again."
Star apprentice Dylan Gibbons, though he is unable to claim, retains the ride on the gelding, who tumbles 6kg for the rise in class.
"Obviously Almania's performance tomorrow will have a big bearing in regards to running in the Sydney Cup, but at this stage it's not off the cards," Lees said.
Almania currently has 50kg in the Cup, and the Manion winner is eligible for a penalty but isn't exempt from ballot.
As well as Almania, Lees also starts Bellatrix Black (Hugh Bowman) in the Group 3 Epona Stakes (1900m).
The former Kiwi mare at her second Australian start had a stewards' warning placed on her after finishing ninth to Cross Talk in the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes (1400m) at Broadmeadow on March 3.
Stewards reported Bellatrix Black near the 600m started to lay out and appeared to lose her action behind when racing tight inside another runner.
"Bellatrix Black pulled up fine, and I've been very happy with her since," Lees said.
"I can't see any reason not to run her tomorrow, and her first-up run at Randwick last month was good when she made nice ground at the end of the 1200m."
. Lees is making another attempt to qualify one or two horses at Kembla Grange tomorrow for the $500,000 Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championship Final (1400m) at Randwick on the same day as the Sydney Cup.
The four-times Final winner, including the last two, has five acceptors – Spangler (Darryl McLellan), Ting Tong (Ash Morgan), Baltic Coast (Aaron Bullock), Cloudland (Jeff Penza), and Terrameades (Koby Jennings).
Stewards have given permission for Bullock to ride Baltic Coast 1kg, and Jennings to ride Terrameades 0.5kg over.
"I haven't yet decided if I will run all five, but blinkers are going on Spangler," Lees said.
"He was disappointing in the Hawkesbury Qualifier, and hopefully they will help him improve."
Spangler ($7 second favorite) is the highest rated of Lees' acceptors in latest TAB.com.au betting.
Tomorrow's race is for provincial trainers only, and the first two placegetters will join the eight horses already qualified for the April 8 Final.
. Spanish Point is Lees' sole runner at tomorrow's Doomben meeting, in the Class 6 Handicap (1600m).
Apprentice Jaden Lloyd will claim 1.5, and Lees says his eight-year-old gelding needs to show rapid improvement on his first-up failure at the same track on February 25 over a similar distance.
Willinga Beast has been withdrawn from the Military Rose Plate (1110m) at Doomben because of a wide barrier.
Instead, she will trial over 1000m at Gosford on Monday as a prelude to tackling the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) against her own sex at Randwick on April 1 on the opening day of The Championships.