Latest News

By Ray Hickson

The only “big question” Gary Portelli can’t answer about unbeaten filly Verona Rose is her wet track prowess but he’s taking an open mind into her biggest test at Rosehill on Tuesday.

Trainer Gary Portelli (Pic: Bradley Photos).

From the moment Portelli secured the Castelvecchio filly for just $40,000 he had her pegged as an Oaks prospect so that’s what at stake when she runs in the Group 1 $750,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m).

It’s not been the easiest of roads to get here but you can imagine the thrill of connections when she swept to victory in the Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic over a mile two weeks ago that the dream was alive.

“It’s every trainer’s sales pitch, ‘this is bred to stay and we’ll give it time’,’’ Portelli said.

“Unfortunately a lot of the time they don’t stay or they can and they’re not very good. That’s the risk you take when you’re buying horses that will get over a bit of ground.

“From the time I bought her I said to the syndicate that she could be our Oaks filly, she has the pedigree to suggest she will run the trip out.”

Verona Rose, $12 with TAB on Thursday, only had her first trial in late October and went to the races in mid-November to win a 1300m maiden as a $21 chance.

She was much more fancied when she returned in February to win again at Wyong and then handled the steep class rise at Kembla with ease, relishing a solid tempo and powering down the outside.

“There’s been lots of bumps in the road leading up to it, she’s had a few little issues and growing pains,’’ Portelli said.

“She didn’t stand up to many preparations, she trained off very quickly. This one has been much better than the last one, I tipped her out last time because she got very light and she’s come back and put two on the bounce.

“She sees what she has to run down and she picks them up.”

The forecast suggests the Vinery will be run on a wet track and the best reference Portelli could find for Verona Rose was her barrier trial run on a soft 6 at the end of January.

In that hitout Portelli surmised she handled the ground fine but of course wasn’t under any pressure.

He said he’ll go to Rosehill hopeful, but also with a flexible mindset when it comes to how the filly will be ridden to suit the conditions.

“We’re going in there as blind as anyone, I’d love to grab hold of something and say yes she’ll handle it but realistically I’m going around hoping for the best,’’ he said.

“The tempo is an interesting part of the race, I’m not sure there is any.

“The best way to ride them is to ride them how they are comfortable. If (Kerrin McEvoy) kicks up from barrier six and there’s horses matching her speed we’re going to be three deep the entire trip and I’d be worried.

“I know she has the turn of foot that when she gets serious she can accelerate. The main thing is she gets an economical run early, so she can find that turn of foot.

“But that could be something we change on the day depending on how the races are run leading up, how the track is playing.”

Portelli has a great deal of respect for Verona Rose’s job to take on the more experienced VRC Oaks winner Treasurethe Moment, who is also unknown in wet ground.

“One thing about that horse is she knows how to win, if I was the trainer of that horse looking at this field I’d be confident I’ve got them covered based on what it’s done,’’ he said.

“We’re hoping my filly is still on an upward trajectory but we’ve got to tick a few more boxes yet.”

A wet track would likely force a rethink for Encap’s preparation with Portelli not keen to tackle the Group 3 $250,000 Racing And Sports Doncaster Prelude (1500m) under trying conditions.

He already had a setback to the prep which forced him to tackle Group 1 company first-up in the Canterbury Stakes and he didn’t disgrace himself, showing Portelli he’s going well enough.

Verona Rose wins the Kembla Grange Classic

“He doesn’t handle the wet so we’re a little concerned about what’s going to happen. It’s not ideal, he’s got a great turn of foot and he doesn’t hold back on good tracks,’’ he said.

“If it got to heavy I wouldn’t run him, we’d pull the pin and probably go to Brisbane.

“His run was great first-up, he was only a couple of lengths behind Ceolwulf. There’s no doubt he’s up to these horses on his day but I am concerned about the wet.”

All the fields, form and replays for Stakes day at Rosehill