Black Bugatti revved up to end ‘frustrating' wait for breakthrough win at Kembla Grange

News.com.au

17 hours ago

Trainer Gary Portelli is wary of unleashing stakes performer Encap on a heavy track in Saturday's Group 2 Missile Stakes but it won't stop him from taking a trio of chances to Kembla Grange on Thursday.
Portelli will head south of his Warwick Farm base chasing a breakthrough success with Black Bugatti while three-year-old first starters Celestial Grace and Crystal Conspiracy join him on the float.
Black Bugatti has made a consistent, albeit frustrating, start to his career with five placings from 12 starts and can break his duck in the Snap Printing Wollongong Maiden Plate (2000m).
A $6.50 contender, Black Bugatti comes into the assignment a touch over three weeks between runs after runner-up last start at Newcastle.
'A meeting got called off last week so Black Bugatti so that's the reason he is three weeks between runs when he was meant to go to Newcastle,' Portelli said.
'It's frustrating. He has been thereabouts.
'He is not really that good on the wet but you can't leave him in his box any longer.'
Celestial Grace ($16) and Crystal Conspiracy ($12) are both stepping out for the first time in the Keagan Latham Champion Jockey Maiden (1000m) and have been set a task to beat heavy odds-on favourite Savvy Hallie ($1.45 fav).
Crystal Conspiracy, to be ridden by Keagan Latham, has only had the one public trial where she was third in a 819m heat on home turf while Celestial Grace was also third in her most recent hitout.
'Both of them have been trialling OK,' Portelli said.
'Crystal Conspiracy had a jumpout and trialled good and the other filly Celestial Grace, I trained her mother and see is by Deep Field so would think she is going to handle the wet.
'Both horses are fit and ready to go and have been on the wet so they will get their chance.'
Portelli has had a quiet first week of the new season, however it's set to go up a notch over the next few days with a string of promising horses trialling for the stable on Friday at Warwick Farm.
He's also hoping to see Doncaster Mile placegetter Encap make his return in the Group 2 $300,000 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick.
Encap is one of 10 acceptors for the first stakes race of the season and is a $17 chance to score in his first run since April.
But Portelli isn't keen to flatten Encap first-up if track conditions remain in the heavy range.
'I am concerned about the weather and I am not keen to run him first-up on a heavy track, that's for sure,' Portelli said.
'We will be watching it closely and there is always the option of waiting for two weeks' time.'
A date with the Epsom Handicap is among the options for Encap this spring but Portelli's main goal is to first get another win on the board for his consistent son of Capitalist.
'Something like the Epsom but could be on the cards for him later this spring but we haven't targeted anything with him at the moment.
'I wanted to get him in early like we've done and try to pick up a nice race before all the proper Group 1 horses resume but unfortunately the weather has thrown a curve ball at me.
'We will try to pick the right races for him that we can win because he hasn't run for a while so my job is trying to put him in a race that he can win.'
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Muswellbrook trainer Ben Blay will look to NSW country racing's most dominant riding force to help deliver his stable a red letter day at Tamworth on Thursday.
Blay will saddle up three chances – Nugget Smart, Great Idea and Be Guided - at the country meeting with the trio all set to be ridden by NSW premiership winning hoop Aaron Bullock.
Blay and Bullock are yet to taste success together in 12 previous attempts but the trainer is hoping his stable is in prime position to come away with a result.
'It's the best hand I've had at the races for a while,' Blay said.
'The fact that I have Aaron on as well just adds to it so I feel like we are going there with good chances.'
Great Idea was a winner at Tamworth at his most recent visit when the son of So You Think did his best work late to score over 1200m.
He gets the chance to back up the success in the Shay Brennan Constructions Benchmark 58 Handicap (1400m).
'Great Idea is coming from a maiden but he is probably the most talented of the three,' Blay said.
'I am pretty confident for him to keep improving.'
Be Guided actually made her debut in the same event Great Idea prevailed in and gave a reasonable account of herself, finishing third.
She will be one of the chances in the Benson Excavation Maiden Handicap (1200m.
'Be Guided has been shin sore four times and it's been an effort to get her to the races,' Blay said.
'The owners have been so patient. I think it's been two years since we bought her.
'Her last trial and that race, she just improved out of sight and I think she should do really well.'
Nugget Smart has run third in three of her six starts to date, including at her last start on home turf over 1280m.
The homebred mare has drawn well for her latest assignment where she steps up in trip for the Kel Penfold Finance Maiden Plate (1400m).
'We always thought he was pretty good and a 1000m horse but just riding him a bit quiet, he will get a bit of ground,' Blay said.
'As we know, the Bon Hoffa's are the NSW country trainers best friends so hopefully we keep him at 1400m or so he goes alright.'