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Underrated three-year-old Sir Bacchus may get the opportunity of a Brisbane winter carnival campaign after thrashing his rivals first-up at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

The Chris Waller-trained grey won back-to-back races at Canterbury and Randwick in December, prompting a belated bid for the $1m Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast on January 10.

Sadly for his horde of owners, about 60, Sir Bacchus was below his best and finished well down the order and was sent for a well earned break.

The son of Sebring has clearly benefited from his time away from racing after yesterday’s 2½-length win after a heady ride by Jason Collett.

Collett snagged Sir Bacchus ($6.50) back to last early before making the bold decision to pin his hopes along the rails rather than come around them.

Sir Bacchus sprinted quickly passing the 300m streaking away with stablemate So Willie ($41) making ground from the back to take second just ahead of Dark Steel ($6.50).

Odds-on favourite Reincarnate had the run of the race but couldn’t add to his sequence of three straight wins and finished a disappointing fourth.

Winning jockey Collett who walked the track before the first race prepared for all contingencies but not locked into a plan.

“I just sort of had an open mind as to where I’d be in the run and as to where I’d come down the straight,’’ Collett said. “Once I gave him that rein, he was off and gone and made it look easy.’’

With Waller on holidays, deputy Charlie Duckworth said the manner of Sir Bacchus’ win was enough to consider a trip away this winter. “It was very impressive,’’ Duckworth said. “He put them away with relative ease so hopefully he’ll progress up to Queensland.’’

Sir Bacchus returned to his huge team of happy owners brought together by well known syndicator Louis Mihalyka of Rebel Dame fame.

“There are about 60 people in Sir Bacchus,’’ Mihalyka said. “There are a couple of syndicates, of them only goes into grey coloured horses; they call themselves the Dirty Greys.’’

News: Shayne O’Cass, The Daily Telegraph

Images: Simon Bullard

In the small seven horse field, the John O’Shea-trained Medaglia d’Oro gelding Reincarnate, a winner of his last three starts started the clear $2.00 favourite in the $85,000 Hyland Race Colours Handicap over 1200m.

As misty rain fell on the good 4 track, In Her Time (Time Thief), the lone filly in the field flew the gates and went forward to take up the lead very comfortably from Wudang Mountain and Dark Steel who came along the rail to take up third.

Race favourite Reincarnate settled in fourth on the outside with Chris Waller’s Sir Bacchus, who was resuming from a break after a last start run in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas at the Gold Coast, settle in last position.

Surprisingly off the pace, in comparison to his last start where he lead, Reincarnate began to track wide rounding the turn as his jockey James McDonald started to urged the three-year-old along.

At the 300m mark, Dark Steel had come along the inside of the runners to take up the lead momentarily before Jason Collett on Sir Bacchus drive the son of Sebring along the rail to hit to the front.

Surging clear, the grey pulled away to record a two and a half-length victory over stablemate So Willie (More Than Ready) in a time of 1.10.54 on the Good 4 rated track surface.

Holding on for third was the Gai Waterhouse-trained Dark Steel (Redoute’s Choice), with favourite Reincarnate back in fourth.

Starting $6.40 on the NSW TAB and $6.00 on fixed odds betting Sir Bacchus now has three wins and a place from six starts, for owners Laurel Oak Bacchus (Mgr: L J Mihalyka) F Cook, K Lowe, Mrs M Lowe, Club Bacchus (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Dirty Grey (Mgr: M Mulligan), A Reichard, J O’Brien, Grant Bloodstock (Mgr: S Grant), M Powell, N Macdonald, Mrs R Richards, Mrs C Cook, Mrs E Grant and Boeara Holdings (Mgr: Mrs D Dunphy), with the victory taking his career earnings to $188,975.

Likely to form part of Chris Waller’s arsenal for the Brisbane winter Carnival, stable representative Charlie Duckworth was on hand to discuss the victory with Waller currently enjoying a well-deserved holiday.

“He was very impressive,” stated Duckworth.

“Obviously he had a great prep last prep and he ran well in the Magic Millions Guineas.

“Resuming today it was a dominant performance.

“He has always run well fresh and he today he put them away with relative ease so hopefully he’ll progress up to Queensland.”

When asked about a trip to the Queensland carnival, Duckworth felt the win was enough to see him on the float.

“I would have thought that would be enough,” stated Duckworth.

Jockey Jason Collett who wasn’t tied down to an specific riding instruction, produced a perfect effort to take the win.

“I kept an open mind on where I’d be in the run and sort of where I’d come down the straight,” stated Collett.

“I had a walk of the track before the first and the obvious two strips on the inner aren’t probably the best, but the way he was travelling, he made it look easy.

“Once I gave him more reign he was off and gone.”

News: Dane Squance for ThoroughbredNews

Image: Sportpix

Gary Portelli will turn to the jockey who has won more races on Rebel Dane than any other in a bid to salvage something out of a frustrating autumn campaign.

Jason Collett will be reunited with Rebel Dane in the $600,000 All Aged Stakes on Saturday – more than three years after he lost the ride when the $1.6 million earner missed out as favourite in the 2013 Randwick Guineas.

“We started off with Jason and we’re hoping the combination can kick us back into the winning form he used to be in,” Portelli said.

Collett linked with Rebel Dane when the sprinter made a winning debut at the midweeks and he steered the three-year-old through two more wins during the 2012 spring.

The association resumed where it left off with a first-up success in the Royal Sovereign Stakes (below) but it came to an end two starts later when Rebel Dane was beaten into fourth place behind It’s A Dundeel in the Randwick Guineas.

Portelli is adamant the autumn hasn’t worked out as it should because of difficult barrier draws, although he is thankful a throat operation has allowed Rebel Dane to have an extended preparation.

“Hopefully we can finally draw a good gate because the horse is in absolutely superb order,” Portelli said.

“It’s been a bit of a disastrous preparation as far as barriers go, but I don’t think I’ve ever had him this far into a preparation looking so well.”

In his past three Group One appearances, Rebel Dane has drawn eight of 11 in the Futurity Stakes, 13 of 14 in The Galaxy and the outside gate in a field of 15 in the TJ Smith Stakes.

“In the TJ Smith we drew 15 and we thought we’d go forward and try to get into a good spot. We never got closer than six off the fence,” Portelli said.

Rebel Dane wound up midfield in the TJ Smith, finishing 5-1/2 lengths from the winner Chautauqua.

There has been an early move for Rebel Dane in all-in betting on the All Aged, with bookmakers trimming the sprinter’s odds from $26 to $17.

News from AAP.

In what was a strong market for the top lots, and slightly down for the session two horses, Laurel Oak Bloodstock were fortunate enough to secure seven yearlings for clients.

The first purchase for Laurel Oak Bloodstock was from the draft of the Kelly’s Newhaven Park as Lot 150, a filly by Sebring, a stallion destined for Champion honours in the future we feel.

The filly is out of the Commands mare Absolutely Flying, herself a half-sister to stakes winning juvenile Camporella (Exceed And Excel), both daughters of the Listed winning Really Flying. It is also the family of Group 1 winners Fair King Prawn and Easy Rocking.

As the sire of Horse of the Year Dissident and the four-time Group 1 winner Criterion, the Widden Stud based Sebring is a stallion we have a lot of time for and are keen to purchase his progeny. On the other hand, Commands as a broodmare sire has been represented by six stakes winners to date – two being Group 1 winners; Politeness and Contentment.

Next up it was Lot 176 from the draft of Edinglassie Stud, a brown Sepoy colt out the Group 2-winning juvenile Amelia’s Dream, who we never got to see the best of due to injury.

A half-brother to the Laurel Oak Bloodstock part-owned Better Land, a multiple stakes performer, this colt is by a Golden Slipper winner out of a mare who was favourite for the Golden Slipper before being injured – hence he has extreme stallion appeal if he can live up to his pedigree and good looks!

To date, while Sepoy has not hit the heights everyone has expected, his most impressive winner is the Laurel Oak Bloodstock bred and sold She’s Positive.

Milburn Creek were the vendors of our next purchase, Lot 190, a filly by Sepoy out of the speedy, Listed-winning Exceed And Excel mare Baby Corn, herself a daughter of the Group 3 winner Sweet Corn.

Bred to be very much a two-year-old prospect, the mare has already produced the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes and Group 1 Blue Diamond placegetter Cornrow.

Exceed And Excel as a broodmare sire has produced 11 stakes winners so far highlighted by the Group 1 winner Bounding as well as this season’s stakes-winning juvenile Scarlet Rain and Astern.

Going back to back, purchasing another Sepoy filly, Lot 191 was from the draft of Widden Stud.

The second living foal of the Listed-winning Encosta de Lago mare Bacchanal Woman, the filly is a half-sister to Laurel Oak Bloodstock’s very promising Sir Bacchus who has had two wins and a third from five starts and looks set to resume in the coming weeks for trainer Chris Waller, who was very keen to put his hand up to train this filly.

She was a much admired filly with Peter Snowden being the under bidder on this filly to buy for himself while trainer Joe Pride was also very keen to get his hand on the filly.

While having to wait quite a while for our next purchase, it was worth the wait as Lot 459 found its way to Laurel Oak Bloodstock.

From the second crop of Fastnet Rock’s Group 1-winning son Foxwedge, the colt was our second purchase from the draft of Newhaven Park.

The second foal out of the winning Tale Of The Cat mare Angel Of Avalon, the first foal of the mare is a smart winning juvenile Fox Tales, a full-brother to this colt.

Offered as part of the Middlebrook Valley Lodge draft, the Pluck filly is out of the stakes placed Danehill mare Danasierra, herself a full-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner and Champion mare Dane Ripper, who are in turn both daughters of the Group 1 winner Red Express.

Bred on a similar cross to the one that has produced Group 1 winners Benicio, More Than Sacred, Perfectly Ready and Dreamaway, Lot 483 is from the second crop of More Than Ready’s Group 2-winning son who has only been represented by one crop of runners to date in the southern hemisphere, highlighted by the smart Gasoline, a stakes placegetter in New Zealand, who was interestingly bred and sold by the same vendor as out filly.

The final purchase of the sale came towards the close of business as we secured another Sepoy to complete our seven purchases.

From the draft of Goodwood Farm, Lot 568 was bred by a Laurel Oak breeding syndicate, just like recent Magic Millions Adelaide winner She’s Positive and Group 2 winner Maygrove, and we just couldn’t let the colt go unwanted in the ring.

While he may take a little time to strength and mature, he is by Sepoy, out of the Laurel Oak Bloodstock-raced Grand Lodge mare Soul Diva, a winner of 11 races as well as being a Group 2 placegetter.

The pedigree for each purchase can be viewed by clicking the ‘Lot’ number and if you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the office on office@laureloak.com.au

Gary Portelli will have overwhelming support from the locals in Friday’s Orange Cup as he prepares to head back to where it all began.

Portelli has the Laurel Oaks purchased and syndicated All My Loving primed for what would be the trainer’s second Orange Cup victory, having teamed up with now SKY Racing presenter Bernadette Cooper to win the 2002 feature.

“I grew up in Sydney but Orange was where I first started training,’’ Portelli said.

“We went out there after I finished high school and my mother started training there and eventually I took over. I won the Orange Cup with Kalalycia (in 2002) who ran a track record and it’s also where Charlie Bub had his first start as a two-year-old. He won by 10-lengths and went faster than the open sprinters on the day then he came out and ran third to Choisir at his next start at Canterbury in the Skyline.

“The town is like a smaller version of Parramatta now. It’s a very commercialised place — it’s changed. I’ve got a lot of mates back there and a few other owners that have stuck by me since I’ve been down there so I’ve got some good memories of the place.’’

Portelli’s intimate knowledge of the Orange circuit could very well provide the key to victory for All My Loving who will have no problems running out the 2100m of Friday’s race having won all the way up to a mile and a half.

She’s been rock solid in her two runs since runs since winning at Goulburn in February and comes off a credible 2.9-lens fourth at home at Warwick Farm over the 2400m.

“She is a very honest mare and just goes out every week picking up prizemoney for her owners and this looks a nice for her,’’ Portelli said. “The 2100m at Orange is a tough 2100m, there is a bit of a hill involved.

“They just start to climb from about the 1000m onwards and it gets a bit serious at the 500m so it’s not a place for the faint hearted, you have to be a horse than can run out a trip so back from 2400m to 2100m won’t be a problem.’’

Portelli has accepted with All My Loving for a race at Beaumont on Saturday but is only too pleased to be headed west, not north in the float a day earlier.

“We wanted to weigh up the two races — I thought she was probably a little bit badly weighted among some of the horses there at Orange but after weighing it all up, I think she’s actually not that badly weighted and is a good chance,’’ he said.

News from Shayne O’Cass, Daily Telegraph

In-form stayer Maygrove could be in line for another trip across the Tasman later this year.

Having ridden the entire at his most recent start when fourth in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m), jockey Damien Oliver suggested to trainer Gary Portelli that the six-year-old could be better suited by heading towards the handicap conditions of Saturday $700,000 Group 1 Banjo Galaxy (1100m).

After discussions between Portelli and owner Laurel Oak Bloodstock, the decision was made to send the Group 1 winner to the race with Oliver keen to maintain his association.

A winner of three and a second place from five starts at the Rosehill track, as well as one at the distance, Rebel Dane ($14.00) has been contesting Group 1 and 2 weight-for-age races at his most recent runs, having not finished further back than fifth.

Three starts back he finished third, beaten just over a length in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley when racing first-up behind Holler, with that colt heading back to Sydney at his next start and winning the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) in impressive fashion.

Among the beaten brigade in Holler’s race that day included Our Boy Malachi ($8.00), who like Rebel Dane is stepping back to the handicap conditions and is down to 56 kilos, having carried 59 at his last start.

Drawn horribly in barrier 15 of 18, with three of the emergencies drawn inside him, Oliver will need to ride a masterful race to get Rebel Dane home according to Portelli.

With a current Soft 5 track rating and drying track conditions over the next few days including a possible high of 32 degrees on Friday, the only saving graces for Rebel Dane could be that the inside of the track may get cut up during the seven prior races being run, and that being drawn wide could see him settle back before working home over the top of them.

“He’s been freshened right up for the Galaxy,” stated Portelli.

“Oliver [Damien] suggested heading to the Galaxy, and while it wasn’t my first choice, he looks well off at the handicap conditions.”

“I’m really disappointed by the wide gate, but if the wet track happens to stick around, that could play into our hands with Rebel Dane likely to have to go back from his wide gate.”

“He could really power down the outside late if the inside is off.”

“Depending on how he comes through the run, there is the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes in April and he’s also had his needles for a trip to Hong Kong [Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint ].”

The hardest to defeat could be the lightly weighted pair of Fell Swoop (Not A Single Doubt) and English (Encosta de Lago).

An unlucky last start second in the Oakleigh Plate, Fell Swoop ($5.50) is looking to give his trainer Matt Dale his first Group 1 winner.

Race favourite English ($4.40 into $4.00) was an outstanding winner first-up last start, settling at the tail of the field before rocketing home to claim the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick.

Having had only one start at Rosehill, when a close second to Vancouver in last year’s Group 1 Golden Slipper, the Gai Waterhouse-trained filly will need to be on her game after drawing barrier 17.

Dual Group 1 winner and last start Oakleigh Plate victor Flamberge ($14.00) along with Joe Pride’s Terravista ($7.50 into $6.50) both carry weight extremely well and are set to lump 58 kilos with forward showings expected from the pair.

While unlikely to get a run, being the third emergency, the Lee and Anthony Freedman-trained Malaguerra ($7.00) was an impressive last start winner at Listed level down the Flemington straight, and although it is a huge class rise for the four-year-old, the manner in which he won suggests the Glen Boss-ridden gelding could be one to watch should he make field.

News from ThoroughbredNews

Quality filly She’s Positive provided her sire and owner with their first winner when she scored a dashing win in the $200,000 Magic Millions Adelaide 2YO Classic at Morphettville today.

The exciting youngster, who is trained by Tony Noonan in Victoria, showed dash from the barriers and led throughout to beat local Bullion Wolf by a length and three quarters.

Mr Markou was third home, a half neck from the runner-up, while the warm favourite Dam Ready, a last start winner at Moonee Valley, was another short neck back in a dead heat with Hussy’s Glow in fourth place.

She’s Positive joined the Noonan stable after being purchased by her owner Frank Carnovale for $180,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Yarraman Park Stud.

Winning rider Jake Noonan was all smiles after piloting home the filly in an important win for the connections including his father Tony.

“She’s definitely got a bit of an attitude,” a delighted Jake Noonan said.

“She can be quite full-on and has white line fever when she steps on to the track.”

“They’ve done a magnificent job to get her to this stage and make her controllable.”

Jake’s father Tony was delighted to learn as part of the victory he won a $10,000 sales credit voucher to spend at this week’s Adelaide Yearling Sale.

“That’s just fantastic – another bid,” he said with a laugh. “Jake is one of my three kids and they say he is the golden child. Well right now he certainly is.”

“We didn’t plan to ride the filly like that but full credit to Jake for a clever ride and we got the chocolates. It’s a great result.”

She’s Positive, who earned black type at her previous run when second in the listed Cinderella Stakes, is the initial winner for her sire, the Group One winning Elusive Quality stallion Sepoy.

She is from the Group Three winner Be Positive and is a half sister to the stakes placed Mr Optimistic.

She’s Positive was bred by Laurel Oak Bloodstock and Glenn Fraser, who raced her dam together, and was foaled and raised at Yarraman Park.

She is the second of only two foals for Group 3 winning Anabaa (USA) mare Be Positive, who died after foaling She’s Positive in 2013.

News from Magic Millions.