Gary Portelli’s weekend racing fortunes at Rosehill are heavily dependent on Sydney’s weather, with a significant portion of his stable likely to be withdrawn if the track conditions worsen.
Portelli has six horses slated to race on Saturday. Among them is the promising three-year-old filly Performance, who is entered for the Kia Ora Bloodlines to Headlines Handicap (1100m). However, her participation hinges on the track remaining a soft 5 or improving. Additionally, Mother Goose may be scratched from the Midway Handicap (1300m) due to her wide barrier draw, unless several other horses are withdrawn.
“Performance, Miss Hades and Flying Trapeze could quite easily come out if the rain hits that they’re forecasting. And Mother Goose (due to the gate),” Portelli stated. “So I might be left with two runners. It’s all down to the weather.”
Should Performance race on a suitable surface, Portelli is optimistic about her first-up performance. She demonstrated promise when finishing second to the subsequent Group placegetter Mareth at Canterbury in December, followed by a determined win at Randwick. Recent trials have shown her to be sharp, and Portelli believes the filly has developed and gained strength since her initial preparation.
“If this weather doesn’t hit, she is a nice chance first-up,” he commented. “I’ve always had a lot of time for her. She had a few growing pains, so we’ve had to wait until she has been ready to handle some solid work. But she’s a big, strong, filly. Beautiful filly.”
Godolphin’s mare Thames presents as a potential surprise in the Midway Handicap. She encountered genuine difficulties in her last two outings, struggling on a heavy 9 track at Rosehill and then facing an unsuitable pace in her most recent start. Portelli noted, “Thames’ run last start on the Kenso was enormous. She got back, wide, took off around the whole field because the tempo slackened and got pulling. Back to 1200 at Rosehill, I think she will run well, particularly if the track isn’t as heavy as when she failed there. She is a nice mare.”
Portelli believes he can make a strong case for all his entries performing well on Saturday, provided the track conditions are favourable. “Miss Hades always runs well first-up. She needs it dry as well. She’s not adept on soft to heavy ground,” he explained. “So Rebellious, he’s a nice 2000-metre three-year-old by Rebel Dane resuming, and Flying Trapeze is coming back from a rig operation. He ran really well first-up in a very strong benchmark race at Canterbury, a track that doesn’t suit him. He could sprint well but again, we need a dry track for him.”
Consider the excellent racing odds available at Australian betting sites for Saturday’s racing.
