Portelli splits juveniles to chase Golden Slipper prize-money
Trainer of last year’s winner Fireburn believes he has winning chances in Sydney and the Gold Coast
Dual Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m)-winning trainer Gary Portelli takes the covers off another batch of two-year-olds today, with a son of Pariah (Redoute’s Choice) and a daughter of More Than Ready (Southern Halo) key chances at Rosehill and the Gold Coast.
The Warwick Farm-based trainer is seeking his third Slipper in six years this season, after She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain) in 2017 and Fireburn (Rebel Dane) this year, and he is optimistic his two main hopes today will put their names forward as the latest exciting, and economical, juvenile stars of his stable.
Sense Of Humour (Pariah), a $130,000 Inglis Classic purchase by Darby Racing, is among the favourites in Rosehill’s Sydney Handicap (1100m), seeking to give Pariah a second winner from five two-year-old starters this term, after a first season of four winners from 30 runners.
And Tango Fever (More Than Ready), a $140,000 Inglis Premier buy for Brisbane-based owner Tosh Murphy, will tackle a small field in the Gold Coast Turf Club Plate (1100m), looking to open More Than Ready’s juvenile account this season.
Both come off slashing wins in 800-metre barrier trials on a Warwick Farm Good 4 on November 4. Sense Of Humour flew the gates and led throughout, pulling away to score by a length and three–quarters – and going further away from his five rivals past the post. Tango Fever was second-last of eight early but rounded her opponents in the straight to win under a hold by a long head.
Renowned for his work with youngsters, Portelli has been changing the guard among his roughly 40 two-year-olds as he maps pathways towards the Slipper. His first deployed selection – headed by trial winner and Breeders’ Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) fifth Flying Trapeze (Trapeze Artist) – have made their first racing forays without winning.
Now, Tango Fever, Sense of Humour, and one of his Rosehill opponents today in Kimochi – part of the first crop of Japanese-bred sprinter Brave Smash (Tosen Phantom) – will have their turn, with an envisaged early goal of the $500,000 Inglis Nursery (RL, 1000m) at Randwick on December 10.
“This bunch came into work and weren’t coping, so they went out to the paddock quickly, so that we could get them back quickly,” Portelli told ANZ Bloodstock News. “That’s worked out beautifully, because now they’re in before Christmas, they can hopefully go to the Inglis Nursery, and if one of them wins this weekend, they’re well on the way to being qualified for the Slipper on prize-money.
“That’s been my theory all along – that the best horses qualify for the Slipper over Christmas or before. Then it makes it a lot easier – when you don’t have to win a lead-up to the Slipper – to peak them on the day. That hasn’t just worked for me, but for a few trainers.”
Asked if today’s entrants were superior to his two-year-olds now spelling after their first campaigns, Portelli said it was still too early to assess, given the development that can be expected of juveniles in the paddock.
“This lot might look better, but the ones that we brought out earlier are going to come on again with their break, too. They sort of overlap each other,” he said.
“I’ve spelled Flying Trapeze and given him a freshen up. He’s come back in and he looks absolutely enormous. He might be one that goes to another level again.
“But of all the babies, these are the ones who are coping, these are the ones who’ve shown up in barrier trials. Realistically, if they don’t fire on the weekend, it’ll be disappointing because they’re showing enough ability, and the timing is beautiful.”
Portelli had accepted with all three – Sense Of Humour, Kimochi and Tango Fever – for today’s Rosehill event, but sent Tango Fever to the Gold Coast’s stand-alone Saturday meeting. While the move may have raised eyebrows given she’s not a Magic Millions horse, the allure lay mostly in the race’s $105,000 purse.
“It’s $61,000 to the winner, and that’s a pretty good leg-up towards the Golden Slipper or other races, if it’s going well enough,” he said.
“I also wanted to get them apart. I’m looking to win as much prize-money for our owners as I can, so the last thing I want is three having a crack at first prize-money when there’s a big chance I could win at both places.
“The market says Tango Fever is a better chance based on her barrier trial, but from what we’ve seen of Sense Of Humour at home – now the field has gone from 15 to eight after scratchings, there’ll be less pressure on up front where he’ll be, and he’ll be a great chance of hanging on. He’s got natural gate speed and a massive stride. I can’t understand why he’s the longer odds of the two of them, really. He’s going to be tough. He’s had a lot of work, he’s ready to run out a solid 1100 metres, then head towards the Nursery.
“Tango Fever has limited gate speed but a good turn of foot. If they do turn it on up front, and there’s pressure on, she’ll get a lovely run behind them and she’ll be finishing strongly. That’s what we’ve seen from her all along. She’s a really good type of filly and just a beautiful-looking animal. She’s quite masculine but feminine – she’s got that mixture – and she’s got a lovely stride.
“We’ve seen in the last few years the fillies have dominated the colts, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens.”
Portelli and Darby Racing’s Scott Darby – one of his major clients with successes including the $20,000 yearling She Will Reign – had separately picked out the yearling Sense Of Humour at this year’s Classic sale. Fortunately, they spoke before Lot 16 entered the ring.
“I thought Scott might like it, being a Pariah and a good type, so I said, ‘I don’t want to be bidding against you’,” Portelli said. “I said, ‘If you stop bidding, I’m going to start, because I want him’. He got him for the right price, and I got to train him.”
Bookmakers last night had Sense Of Humour a $6.50 equal-second favourite behind Godolphin’s Diabelli (Fastnet Rock), at $2.80 after a debut sixth in Flemington’s Maribyrnong Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) on Cup day.
“Sense Of Humour was a lovely, big strong colt at the sale, and he looked great in winning his trial once he really lowered and let down,” said Darby, an avowed fan of Portelli’s work with youngsters.
“He’s one of the best at training the two-year-olds. He certainly works on a good system in getting them up and going, and we’re pretty confident any time we send him a horse we think can go early.”
Portelli said he expected Kimochi, an $8 chance today, to be finishing strongly after her barrier trial second.
“She seems tough and she’ll be doing her best work when you need her,” he said. “The Brave Smashes all looked good types, very athletic. They looked like that Australian stock-standard sprinting type, with a good long hip on them, deep girth, a good range of motion when they walk, and plenty of power in their hindquarter and hocks.”
Albeit with a very limited number – one – Brave Smash has begun his stud career with a splash. His sole runner so far is Perth colt Brave Halo, who’s won three from three, the latest over 1100 metres at Ascot on November 5 by more than five lengths.
In Caulfield’s two-year-old highlight today – Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m) – the well-bred Remedies (Sepoy – Virage De Fortune) shapes as a short-priced favourite after her powerful all-the-way three and a half length win on debut on Cranbourne Cup day.
Remedies is one of three Godolphin acceptors along with Heuristic (Street Boss), a debut third in Caulfield’s Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m), and Cylinder (Exceed And Excel), who was a narrow second in the Max Lees Classic (900m) at Newcastle on debut.