Kintyre adds to his burgeoning record with Queensland Guineas win
Having waited so long for a first stakes victory in response to the quartet of big sister Fireburn (Rebel Dane), Kintyre (Hallowed Crown) suddenly has two in two starts after a courageous win in Saturday’s Queensland Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) at Eagle Farm.
The Gary Portelli-trained Kintyre – bearing the same Laurel Oak Bloodstock colours as his Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m)-Inglis Sires’ (Gr 1, 1400m)-winning sibling and ex stablemate – had to do it the hard way for his first black type success a fortnight ago. He and Jamie Kah sealed Randwick’s Frank Packer Plate (Gr 3, 2000m) on protest after being squeezed onto the rail near home by first-past-the-post Gold Bullion (Savabeel).
On Saturday, Kintyre went up a grade and went up the rail for another female rider, talented apprentice Cejay Graham, but this time he crossed the line first, tenaciously fighting off the stern challenge of Godolphin’s far larger gelding Razors (Sidestep) to his outside to win by a head.
With two in the bag, Kintyre will now pursue a third stakes win in the Rough Habit Plate (Gr 3, 2000m) at Doomben in two weeks, with his trainer increasingly confident that the once-roguish colt, gelded after his behaviourally-compromised two-year-old season, will continue his evolution into a serious racehorse.
And there’s more excitement in store for connections, with the Portelli stable soon to welcome the subsequent offspring of Fireburn and Kintyre’s dam Mull Over (So You Think) – a Pierata (Pierro) colt bought back by Laurel Oak for $460,000 at Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale last month.
“He’s just a good horse,” Portelli said of Kintyre. “He’s a really good horse. He’s come good with time.
“Thanks very much to Laurel Oak for letting me train a half-brother to Fireburn, and we’ve got another half-brother now, the Pierata from the Easter sales, and we’re looking forward to seeing him in the stables as well.
“The mare [Mull Over] is obviously a fantastic mare and makes me look good.”
Portelli had earlier this year contemplated running Kintyre over staying trips. His half-sister – by a sprinting sire but drawing stamina from her So You Think dam – had, after all, run fourth in an ATC Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m).
But while Kintyre has now won over 2000 metres, Portelli said he would not be tempted by the $1 million Queensland Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) on June 1. Instead he might save him for a trip 100 metres shorter than Saturdays, and the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) for four-year-olds at Rosehill in October.
“I don’t know that he’ll stay, so I’m a bit worried about taking him out to 2400 metres. You can often ruin a nice horse,” he said. “He’s got a nice future, and he’s getting better with time. There might be a Golden Eagle next prep – ten million dollars – we’d have a crack at that.
“With the prize-money that’s on offer these days, you don’t need to keep them colts. If they’re good horses they can win a lot of prize-money, as he has today; $200,000 jumps in today [Saturday], and we’ll have a delectable Chinese meal tonight.”
Though Kintyre has scored two of his four wins on good tracks, Portelli said he was pleased to see Eagle Farm downgraded to a soft 5 several races before Saturday’s Guineas.
He was also delighted his bold choice of a 1.5 kilogram claiming apprentice for a Group 2 – which may have raised some eyebrows – was rewarded with a superb winning ride for a first stakes success, among 283 career wins, for Graham. The 25-year-old recently resumed riding after a horror run of injuries including a broken back and fractured wrists.
“It feels incredible, I don’t have the words to describe it really,” Graham said while holding back tears.
“I didn’t think I would get these opportunities with the time I’ve had off, but to be back here and winning that race makes every bit of hard work worthwhile.
“I couldn’t be more grateful to Gary and the owners. Gary has been such a big supporter of female jockeys for many years, and hopefully this will put me in good stead as I come out of my apprenticeship.”
Aiming to repeat the Fireburn trick, Mull Over is now back in foal to the former Portelli-trained dual Group 1 winner and present day Widden Stud sire Rebel Dane (California Dane).
Kintyre is the seventh stakes-winner for Twin Hills Stud’s $8,800 (inc GST) sire Hallowed Crown (Street Sense), who’s had three others in Australia among 90 winners from 155 runners, plus two in Singapore and one in New Zealand. Hallowed Crown’s progeny are headed by the dual Group 1 winner from his former Godolphin/Darley home, Colette.