Latest news with #GaryPortelli
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Goulburn previews: Portelli's horror streak of wide barriers continues
TWO-time Golden Slipper winning trainer Gary Portelli 's horror streak of wide barriers this season has followed him to Goulburn on Monday where three of his four runners were dealt the outside alley in their respective races. Portelli has saddled-up five starters in the 2025/26 season so far, the first two of those drew 7 of 7 and 6 of 6 in their assignments. Portelli's Goulburn -bound quartet with each of their barriers are Zoodoo (9 of 9), Sculptor (10 of 10), Angels Cry (14 of 14) and Greygenta who was issued 12 of 16. Zoodoo finished last in his only visit to Goulburn, on debut in January but has a more recent provincial placing to enhance his resume, followed by an excusable, distant fourth on the Canberra Acton track. 'The jockey said he didn't really appreciate that surface so he is a better chance hopefully on what will probably be a wet track, I'd imagine,'' Portelli said. 'On his run at Newcastle, he'd be competitive for sure.' Of all Portelli's Goulburn entrants, there is no contest in which is the track specialist among them. That honour goes clearly the way of Sculptor who shares his name with the 1983 Danehill Stakes and Brian Crowley Stakes winner. Portelli's 2021 model's record at Goulburn is three starts for a win and a second. 'We tried him over 1300m the other day but he just raced too fiercely and flattened out and couldn't find the line so we are back to the sprint and back to a wet track hopefully,'' Portelli said. Angels Cry ($8) meanwhile looks headed on the right trajectory for what would be her second career win at start five when she tackles the Nutrien Harcourts Benchmark Handicap (1600m) wearing the white, green crossed sashes, red sleeves and cap carried by past Portelli-trained Group 1 stars, Fireburn and Rebel Dane. 'She got beat by a pretty smart horse of Garry Lunn's at Bathurst and after she went through the line, I thought she was battling on just as strong past the line,'' Portelli said. 'I thought maybe the slower tempo of the mile might suit her.' Portelli's final runner on Monday's card is the $30,000 Inglis Australian Weanling purchase Greygenta whose sole win thus far was a barnstorming last to first effort at Queanbeyan a week out from last Christmas. She opened her winter campaign with career worst run at Goulburn (on a heavy (9)) before bouncing back to her best 18-days later when third at Kembla. â– â– â– â– â– DANNY Williams quest for another Goulburn Trainers' Premiership starts on Monday when two of the stable string go around in eminently winnable races. Williams whose career highlights include the 2022 Group 1 Galaxy with Shelby Sixtysix just three starts after winning a Highway Handicap, has lost count of exactly how many local titles he has won but reckons it ''must be six or seven''. Williams can take his career total of Goulburn winners to 148 should the lightly-raced Manwari and his nine-year-old stablemates both be successful on Monday. Manwari will be ridden in the Maykazz Maiden (1200m) by Nick Heywood whose win tally for Williams of 46 ranks him second to Matthew Cahill (60) but above former jockey and now dual Darwin Cup winner trainer – Peter Robl – on 43. Heywood's record on Manwari is four rides for three placings including the gelding's July 15 third at Warren when clocking in third as the $1.75 favourite. 'He seems to be a horse that has shown us enough that we feel that he is city-class but he has been very disappointing on what he has shown us on the racetrack,'' Williams said. 'We took six horses to Warren looking for a drier track and it never stopped raining the whole day. 'Albeit he got through the ground, we had him at 1200m and we took some blood leading into it and the blood said he could have done with more work. 'And he struck a wet track, it says a soft (6) but it was a lot wetter than that because they downgraded it after race one. 'He just ran out of puff. 'We have held him back for this meeting for a couple of reasons. 'We've got a lot of owners coming on Monday for (me) winning the Premiership and having a day-out and secondly, it just looked a nice suitable race for him.' Avid breeding buffs will be interested to dissect Manwari's fascinating pedigree which was designed by well known industry figure, James Bester. 'We bought this horse because he is he has got a cross of two brothers,'' Williams said. 'His sire Menari is by Snitzel and he's out of a Hinchinbrook and Snitzel and Hinchinbrook are half-brothers. 'I am quite a fan on inbreeding and so we bought this horse based on his pedigree.' For the record, Manwari's inbreeding is a 4 X 4 doublecross of Snippets who happened to win the Galaxy some 24 years before Williams won it with giant-killer, Shelby Sixtysix. Speaking of 'ageless' horses, Williams makes a solid case for now nine-year-old Sapphires Son who tackles the Nutrien Harcourts Benchmark 58 Handicap over his favoured distance of 1600m. The son of former Vinery Stud resident Pluck's last win came in the nation's capital the day before Bella Nipotina's brave salute in the $20 million The Everest (1200m). That said, his recent form stands-up well in what is clearly an open and competitive mile race and while carrying a featherweight of 51kg after apprentice Dale Cole 's 4kg claim. 'He is very one-paced and he needs a lot to go right for him,'' Williams said. 'I've put Dale on him quite a bit because he is an easy to ride. Dale did ride him very well at Forbes bit Forbes is a track where you need to be running forward from the 600m and he just got held up a little bit longer than we would have liked. 'He looks to be best suited going out to 1600m and if we get a downgrade of the track it is only going to be to his benefit.'
News.com.au
14-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Craig Williams cops suspension on Stradbroke Handicap pick-up ride
Craig Williams ' late Group 1 pick-up ride on Rothfire has resulted in the champion Victorian jockey being suspended for 14 days. Williams had been set to ride Gary Portelli's mare Kimochi in the Stradbroke Handicap until the Yulong-owned mare injured her tendon on Friday. He was then without a Stradbroke ride but gained one when James McDonald, who has been battling illness, was unable to make the weight on Rothfire. However, the story had a sting in its tail with Williams suspended for careless riding for a back straight incident where Spicy Martini was tightened up. Cejay Graham also came to the attention of stewards and was suspended for 14 days for careless riding on King Kapa in the Hinkler Handicap.
News.com.au
14-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
After the disappointment of Kimochi's injury, Gary Portelli's Queen Of Clubs delivers a stunning victory at Rosehill
Racing's rollercoaster can be relentless and unforgiving, but it can also be rewarding. Master trainer Gary Portelli has ridden the sport's ups and downs in a 24-hour period before his promising filly Queen Of Clubs made a statement with a powerful win in the Chandon Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Portelli wasn't supposed to be at Rosehill, he was planning to be at Eagle Farm where he had stable star Kimochi among the leading chances in the Group 1 $3m Stradbroke Handicap only for the mare to be withdrawn on race eve with a career-ending injury. 'It was tough finding out Kimochi had bowed her tendon yesterday,' Portelli said after Queen Of Clubs won the Rosehill opener. 'She just trot and cantered and the vets came over, she did the trot-up that they do and they grabbed her by the tendon – you couldn't even see it – they just squeezed it and they go a reaction, so it had only just happened. By the afternoon it was starting to really blow up. 'I wasn't in Brisbane but I had been getting feedback that everything was fine then yesterday was just a shocking phone call. 'She will be retired. It's a pretty decent tear and she is a more valuable broodmare now.' Portelli had paid over $1000 for return flights to Brisbane but changed his plans and went to Rosehill with just one runner – and left a winner. 'I was so confident,' the master trainer said. 'Queen Of Clubs is a good horse and it's great to see her repay our confidence. 'Trilogy (Racing) have been a good backer of our stable. They came to me sand said, 'this is a good filly, have a look at her at the Magic Millions'. We went halves in her and I put all my friends in her as well. 'She does things at home that are (special). She worked with Kilbrannan, who is a handy two-year-old (half-brother to Portelli's Golden Slipper winner Fireburn) and she went so well I said, 'she can't get beaten'. 'It's a massive result at big odds. We haven't stopped backing her since the odds came out, so it has been a good result for everyone.' ♣ï¸� Queen Of Clubs steams home down the middle to win the first at Rosehill! @GaryPortelli â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 14, 2025 Queen Of Clubs, ridden by Andrew Calder, belied her $31 starting price by mowing down Regulated Affair ($4.40) to win by a widening one-and-quarter lengths with Gemologist ($21) a short neck away third. Namaste ($4 favourite) led to the turn but tired for seventh while Crocodile ($4.60) seemed to race ungenerously at times but was still disappointing finishing only ninth. Queen Of Clubs broke her maiden at her fourth attempt and provided Calder with his first metropolitan winner of the season. Calder, the experienced former New Zealand-based jockey who has ridden over 1000 career wins including seven at Group 1 level, gave an enthusiastic appraisal of Queen Of Clubs post-race. 'She is very progressive and has a great, big stride on her,' Calder enthused. 'At the 200m, I thought she was just going to get there but then at the 100m she really lengthened nicely. 'I rode her in a barrier trial where she gave me a similar feel so I knew she had ability. She is going to make a nice three-year-old filly, that's for sure.' Queen Of Clubs was born and raised at the historic Victorian stud and nursery, Blue Gum Farm, which was once home to some of the state's leading stallions namely Rubiton, Rancho Ruler and Umatilla. Blue Gum offered the filly at the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale where she was purchased by Portelli and his clients for $300,000. "One door closes and another opens" It's been a tough 48 hours for @GaryPortelli but Queen Of Clubs has set her sights on a big spring! 🙌 â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 14, 2025 Queen Of Clubs is a daughter of Hong Kong Mile winner Maurice whose Australian progeny include the ATC Australian Derby-Victoria Derby double winner Hitotsu and top sprinter Mazu. Portelli's filly traces back on a direct line to one of world's breeding's most influential broodmares namely Mumtaz Mahal via generations of daughters and granddaughters, mostly owned by the Aga Khan. In fact, Queen Of Clubs shares her fourth dam (Zahra) with the Aga Khan's unbeaten champion filly Zarkava. Portelli said Queen Of Clubs will now be spelled and set for the feature three-year-old fillies racing in the spring including the Group 1 Flight Stakes. 'I think she is probably a fantastic three-year-old filly that will head for all the big staying races,' Portelli said. 'She has got so much ability. That's the reason I ran her at two. 'I believe you've got to have a good benchmark when they get older and you get to a day like today where you've done all your work, the foundation has been set, she knows how to race, she relaxes in the bird cage. 'We will probably stop and work out a program that will see her in all the big fillies' races. 'One door closes and another one opens in this game and I've been saying all along this is my next big thing. Today showed we are heading in the right direction.'
News.com.au
05-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Kimochi set for back-to-back Queensland Group 1 challenges in Kingsford Smith Cup and Stradbroke Handicap
Gary Portelli is striving for his first Queensland Group 1 and is set to give strong mare Kimochi two chances in quick succession to pull off the heist. The Stradbroke Handicap has been the main goal for the Yulong-owned Group 1 winner right from the start of her preparation which included a trio of runs in the Sydney autumn carnival. Best laid plans have been tweaked with the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup rescheduled to Saturday after being one of the races washed out last Saturday when jockeys complained of poor visibility. But Warwick Farm trainer Portelli said Kimochi will still race in the Kingsford Smith on Saturday as a pipe-opener to the Stradbroke seven days later. He admits the seven-day back-up is a step into the unknown for Kimochi, but feels it could even suit her. 'She will run on Saturday, it's a Group 1 race, and I couldn't go to the 1400(m) of the Stradbroke with her straight away given she has had a big gap between runs,' Portelli said. 'A high pressure handicap like the Stradbroke, they have got to be fit. 'We have never had to back-up before, the program has never had us having to back-up. 'But she is a very tough mare, whenever she races she is normally primed the week afterwards. 'You actually think to yourself that she looks better the week after, than what she did leading into the race. 'She does cope with pressure, she's a big strong mare and she has been in work for ages. 'It's not like she's coming out of a spell and she's going to be too fresh or underdone. 'She has got a good fitness core.' Craig Williams rode Kimochi to Group 1 glory in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield last spring and the pair will reunite at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Kimochi is rated an $11 chance in the Kingsford Smith and is the same price for her main mission of the Stradbroke seven days later. Nine-time Group 1 winner Portelli has had some terrific horses campaign in Queensland, including Rebel Dane who finished seventh in the 2014 Stradbroke which was won by Queensland bolter River Lad. But he hopes Kimochi can give him his first Sunshine State Group 1. 'The plan is she will take her place in the Stradbroke, unless we race below expectations this Saturday,' Portelli said. 'From the time she came into work this preparation, the Stradbroke was in my mind the goal. 'We have drawn a fantastic barrier (three) in the Kingsford Smith, so she is going to get a soft run. 'That's important because going into the Stradbroke, she is not going to have a gut-buster and be trapped wide or doing work. 'She will get a nice run and accelerate in the straight, if she runs top three then I would be over the moon from a Straddy point of view.' Lindsay Park co-trainer Ben Hayes has indicated Rise At Dawn – the winner of eight from 15 starts – will take his place in the Kingsford Smith before being unleashed on the back-up in the Stradbroke. The Lindsay Park dynasty may have its best chance to crack its Stradbroke duck, with raging favourite War Machine ($3) set to be joined by Rise At Dawn ($11) in Queensland's most prestigious race.
News.com.au
30-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Good gate has Kimochi poised for Group 1 Kingsford Smith boilover
Trainer Gary Portelli has Kimochi primed to enhance her 'giant-killer' reputation in the Group 1 $1m Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Kimochi is an outstanding mare, having earned over $2m prizemoney with four wins and 10 minor placings during her 21-start career. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! But in each of her four wins, Kimochi has never started shorter than $6.50 and was at $26 when she won the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes last spring. TAB Fixed Odd price assessors have Kimochi at generous odds again of $10 for the star-studded Eagle Farm sprint that includes Joliestar ($3 favourite), Giga Kick ($5), Benedetta ($7.50) and Private Eye ($8.50). But Kimochi has shown repeatedly during her race career that she is very competitive at this level although more often than not her chances have been impacted by wide barriers. So, Portelli was relieved when Kimochi finally drew a favourable barrier with gate three for the Kingsford Smith Cup. • Ray and Duff's Rosehill Saturday tips, analysis: $3 best bet 'Kimochi always seems to draw double-digit gates so it's nice to draw an inside barrier for a change,'' Portelli said. 'I'm really happy with her. I've basically set her for the Kingsford Smith Cup and then the Stradbroke Handicap virtually from the moment she came back into work. 'Weight-for-age races probably don't quite suit her and she is better at handicap level but from that barrier this does look a race where she can be very competitive.'' Portelli will be at Eagle Farm for Kimochi's Group 1 bid but the master trainer will be watching with interest when his two-year-olds Queen Of Clubs and Kilbrannan race at Rosehill Gardens and Kembla Grange respectively. Queen Of Clubs, a daughter of leading Arrowfield Stud stallion Maurice, was unplaced in two runs last spring and resumes in the Rosehill opener, the Schweppes Handicap (1300m). But Portelli has a very health regard for Queen Of Clubs' emerging ability. 'I like her as a classics type of filly later on,'' Portelli said. 'This is part of the process about getting her educated and although it's pretty strong race I want to see her running through the line with a view to getting her ready for the spring three-year-old fillies races.'' Kilbrannan is making his debut at the provincials over 1000m but is also a two-year-old Portelli believes has a bright future. By top sire Pierata out of Mull Over, Kilbrannan is a half-brother to Portelli's 2022 Golden Slipper winner Fireburn. 'Kilbrannan goes pretty good,'' Portelli enthused. 'I like the way he has been trialling, even though he has wanted to get a bit keen in his trials. 'But I feel the Kembla race will be run at a good 'clip' so we should have no trouble getting him to settle. 'He will be ridden quietly and look for him to be finishing off well, he's a nice colt.''
