October 2015

Rebel Dane’s best chance of winning a Group I this preparation will be Friday night’s $1 million Group I William Hill Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley according to trainer Gary Portelli.

More than two years have passed since Rebel Dane’s first and only Group I success in the 2013 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and Portelli believes now is the time for the six-year-old to claim a second victory at the elite level.

Rebel Dane has excelled at Moonee Valley despite a deceptive record of one win from four attempts. In his four starts at the unique circuit, Rebel Dane has been beaten a combined margin of less than 4-1/2 lengths, and each of those runs were in Group I company.

Portelli is also buoyed by a recent wind operation on the horse which has proven a huge success in two outings this preparation. A brilliant first-up win in the Group II Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on September 19 was followed by a fast-finishing second behind Manikato Stakes rival Terravista in the Group II Premiere Stakes (1200m) at the same venue.

The son of California Dane travels down to Melbourne on Wednesday evening.

“That’s been his routine every time,” Portelli said. “And I think he’s going as good as ever.

“He usually peaks at his third run in so hopefully he gets a bit of luck this year.

“He galloped last Saturday and we’ve just kept him fresh since.

“The whole preparation has been centered on this race and Moonee Valley certainly plays into our hands, if he’s going to win a Group I this preparation this is his chance.”

Portelli also revealed that Rebel Dane has been vaccinated in case of a trip to Hong Kong for the Group I International Sprint (1200m) in December.

“There’s Hong Kong on the table, he’s been vaccinated so we’ll see what happens. Obviously Friday night will tell us a bit more,” he said.

News from Racenet

Purchased at this year’s Inglis Broodmare Sale for only $50,000, the well-bred Auckland Beauty went part way to repaying that purchase pricing by breaking her maiden!

By Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice out of the Group 2 AJC Shorts winner Fritz’s Princess (pictured below), the mare had been placed prior to her purchase at the sale on multiple occasions, but since that time has had three starts for new owners Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: S P Grant), Carpe Diem (Mgr: K R Lowe) and Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: L J Mihalyka) and has produced two second placed effort before a spell, and then followed that up with an impressive maiden victory at Bairnsdale on Monday.

Trained by Peter Moody, the now four-year-old jumped away well from barrier three and went forward to settle in fourth place, right behind the leading trio.

Short-priced favourite Golden Cropper, a More Than Ready half-sister to Group 2 winner and now Coolmore stallion Rubick, started to make her run rounding the home turn, going to the leader and looking as if she would go on with it, but jockey Vlad Duric aboard Auckland Beauty had started to get our mare going and she responded very well.

With a few “taps” from the whip, Auckland Beauty set out after the leading duo, catching them with about 30m to run to take the race by three-parts-of-a-length from Golden Cropper with Little Bita Spunk a long head back in third.

With a win and six second placed performance from nine starts to date, it is clear that the mare has ability, and fingers crossed she goes on with it now, as once she retires from the track she is very well-bred and will make a great broodmare prospect being bred on the Danehill x More Than Ready cross.

Congratulations to our fellow owners.

Sent to Eagle Farm trainer Liam Birchley, after initially starting her career with Gary Portelli down in Sydney, the now five-year-old War Pass mare Court Martial Miss was having her second start for her new trainer and was quite impressive with her two-and-a-quarter length victory.

Having run second over 1110m when racing first-up for Birchley back in August, the mare had a nine week break and headed to the Sunshine Coast on Sunday where she contested the Lindsay Consulting Handicap over 1000m.

Away from barrier three with Michael Cahill in the saddle, the mare went forward and settled in third position behind leader Cannizzaro who had flown the gates and went a couple of lengths clear.

Getting a lovely run in transit sitting on the rails, when the home turn was reached and Cannizzaro began to weaken; Court Martial Miss was reminded what she was there for and surged through a gap between the tiring leader and One In One Out who was on her outside.

Pulling away to win the race quite easily, it was a reminder that the mare does have some talent and now that she has broken through, it is likely she will step up in class and could possible head for a Saturday race.

Congratulations to our fellow owners Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Mr K R Lowe, Mrs M P Lowe, Mr M A Couter, Mrs K Couter, Mrs E K Grant, Pardon and Mr G A Pointon.

To view the race replay, click the above image and go to Race 5.

Rebel Dane’s trainer Gary Portelli has made a compelling case for why the Group II Premiere Stakes (1200m) should be elevated to Group I status.

The recent honour roll of the Premiere Stakes features the likes of Triple Honour, Hot Danish, Red Tracer, and Famous Seamus, all of which are Group I winners.

This year’s edition is littered with Group I-class gallopers and Portelli, who has Rebel Dane starting on Saturday, believes the $300,000 weight-for-age event meets the criteria of an elite level race.

“It’s an interesting race, there’s five Group I winners in it, two Group I-placegetters and there are only nine acceptors,” Portelli said.

“Should it be a Group I? It probably should.

“I think if it had Group I status you would get even better horses in it so I think they’ve got to look at that.”

Rebel Dane is coming off a brilliant first-up victory in the Group II The Shorts (1100m), his first run since undergoing a wind operation during the winter.

Portelli said all indications point to a similar performance second-up over the Randwick 1200 metre course where he will clash with Joe Pride’s Terravista.

“He seems to be in great order, certainly no reason why he can’t run up to his best second-up,” Portelli said.

“Although he has sometimes run a bit flat second-up so we’ve got that in the back of our mind.

“His track work was brilliant on Tuesday morning.

“If he turns up I think he’ll be hitting the line strongly but whether he’s good enough to catch Terravista, we’ll soon find out.

“He’s beaten Terravista once, at the Valley, and Terravista has beaten us once and that was down the straight at Flemington so we’ll see what happens.”

Following Saturday, Portelli intends to travel Rebel Dane down to Moonee Valley for a third crack at the Group I Manikato Stakes (1200m) on Cox Plate eve.