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By Ray Hickson

It’s fair to say Encap is a horse that often flies under the radar but trainer Gary Portelli hopes he can emerge at Rosehill on Saturday as one of the leading local hopes for next month’s Golden Eagle.

Trainer Gary Portelli (Pic: Steve Hart)

A breakthrough win in the Theo Marks Stakes, his second in 14 starts, was a confidence boost for Portelli and he said the $1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) is an important preview.

“It was a pretty good race to bounce back to form in,’’ Portelli said.

“Winning his maiden in Group 3 company meant he wasn’t afforded the chance to go through his grades and get a better win strike rate.

“It’s a stepping stone to what we hope is the big one, the Golden Eagle, so we’d like to see him go to another level again.”

Encap, $7 with TAB on Thursday and $26 in the Golden Eagle, beat a couple of handy ones to win that first race, he downed Ceolwulf and Tom Kitten in the Ming Dynasty last year, and was denied a Group 1 Golden Rose in the last stride by Militarize.

Since his Theo Marks win, Portelli sent the gelding around in 1207m barrier trial to keep him up to the mark for Saturday and he said it was the right move.

“He had a good blow after the Theo Marks and pulled up a bit big,'' Portelli said.

"So I thought I’d have to be careful with a month between runs if I go easy on him, he’s a laid back horse, he might get fat on me.

“I’m glad I did because he pulled up big over the loins in the trial so it was a trial he had to have.”

Kerrin McEvoy has been booked to ride Encap but he’ll only ride the gelding if fourth emergency Grebeni doesn’t line up as Portelli was left without a rider when Jason Collett was suspended last week.

Portelli said he’s rapt that Encap has drawn favourably in barrier three and just has the fingers crossed that it doesn’t mean he finds a traffic jam as he was dynamic when swooping on them in his Theo Marks win.

“From that gate we can be where he’s comfortable and not have to ride him to suit the race,’’ he said.

“It’s a matter of where he gets to and whether he’s going well enough to take any gaps that appear.

“We’ve got to watch how the pattern of the day goes, we’re late in the day and drawn a good gate in a big field so we have to hope that doesn’t come against us.”

The $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) is run at Rosehill on November 2 with Japanese galloper Ascoli Piceno favourite ahead of French visitor Lazzat.

Stablemate Miss Hades resumes from a wide gate in the Rosehill Bowling Club Handicap (1100m) and the Warwick Farm trainer said that makes the decision on how to approach the race a simple one.

The mare has won four of her eight starts and Portelli said she’ll improve on whatever she produces first-up.

Encap wins the Theo Marks

“She’ll go back and be rattling home late,’’ he said.

“There’s a Midway in a couple of weeks that will suit her better. She can gallop, though, she’s only had the one trial and she will need the run but not we’ve drawn that gat we’ll just ride her cold.”

Meanwhile, Portelli said Kimochi will have her next start in the Group 3 $1 million Silver Eagle (1300m) on Everest Day.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting