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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Gary Portelli would like to think the $10 million Golden Eagle is the spring endgame for his classy pair of Encap and Kimochi who kick off their four-year-old seasons at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Gary Portelli (Pic: Steve Hart)

What the duo have in common, aside from prospective goals, is that they’ve surprised Portelli a little in how easily they’ve reached a readiness to race.

Encap has only needed the one trial to get him ready for the Group 3 $250,000 Hyland Race Colours Show County Quality (1200m) and that tells Portelli he could be in for a breakthrough season.

“He’s come up really quickly and come up really well,’’ he said.

“If I’d have turned up and trialled him (again) he probably comes out and wins and we go we probably should have raced him.

“It’s probably just maturity, I was sort of teaching him a couple of preparations ago and he’s just more athletic now. It took a lot to get him fit before and now it’s not so hard.”

Portelli is well aware of the gelding’s record which boasts just the one win to date, in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty just under a year ago, and he says it’s important that changes in the lead up to the Golden Eagle.

He opened his autumn with a placing in the Eskimo Prince Stakes and chased subsequent Randwick Guineas and Doncaster winner Celestial Legend home in the Hobartville Stakes and was close up in both the Guineas and George Ryder.

“No doubt he would have had a better strike rate had we kept him in restricted benchmark races,’’ he said.

“He’s run second to Militarize in a Golden Rose so it’s hard to put ones beside their name when you’re racing these horses.

“His winning strike rate doesn’t look good but the prizemoney he’s won looks very smart.”

Jason Collett rides both Portelli gallopers and the trainer said with the inside barrier Encap, $13 with TAB on Wednesday, will run well fresh.

“From that gate he just puts him where he wants,’’ he said.

“You’d have to think at Randwick it’s a matter of coming out and being comfortable, we just want to see him hitting the line and we know he’s in for a big prep.”

Kimochi has changed ownership since the autumn and will carry the Yulong colours into the Group 3 $250,000 James Squire Toy Show Quality (1100m).

Portelli is a little excited about the mare’s development and while he has the Golden Eagle in mind as an ideal target for her if she’s able to win first-up it could make things interesting given Yulong is an Everest slot holder.

“She’s a lot stronger, she definitely has physically improved and we’re pretty keen to see her resume,’’ he said.

“I was planning on starting her on September 14 in the Sheraco but she’s come together too quickly in trackwork.

“It’s only 1100m so it’s a nice race to kick off then we’ll go three weeks into the Sheraco.”

Encap runs second in a Warwick Farm trial on August 12

Last spring Kimochi was placed in all four legs of the Princess Series and recorded her third Group 1 placing when narrowly beaten by Zougotcha and Semana in the Coolmore Classic over the Golden Eagle course.

“We’re working closely with the Yulong team but in my mind the Golden Eagle could be a perfect race for her,’’ he said.

“If she was to win this race there might even be Everest talk. I’m looking forward to getting a benchmark after Saturday as to where we’re at with her.”

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