Ideal gate and light weight has trainer Gary Portelli excited about the prospects of Kintyre in the Group 1 Epsom

Trainer Gary Portelli believes recent tough runs have his talented gelding primed for his Group 1 Epsom assignment at Randwick on Saturday when the barrier draw has finally fallen his way.

Wide draws have battle hardened Kintyre to take advantage of a good gate and featherweight in Saturday’s Group 1 $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick.

That’s the hope of trainer Gary Portelli, who believes his underrated four-year-old is ready to give a big sight with 50kg as a $23 chance in the Epsom.

“He gets his chance now,” Portelli said.

“Most of his runs have come when he has drawn the best marble possible and lately he hasn’t really had a chance to do that.

“In saying that, it has probably toughened him up for a good solid mile now.”

Former Sydney apprentice Cejay Graham will make the trip down from Queensland to partner Kintyre after partnering the gelding with success during the Brisbane winter carnival.

.@CejayGraham1 on Kintyre has won the G2 Sky Racing Queensland Guineas for @GaryPortelli!@BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/oBWe3WjmgH

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 4, 2024

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She won the Group 2 Queensland Guineas on Kintyre before he finished third in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m).

The son of Hallowed Crown arrives in the Epsom third-up from a break after toughing it out for fourth in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) last start.

“He was working all-the-way in a weirdly run race and I thought he fought on pretty well,” Portelli said.

“His record at the mile is pretty good and he has drawn a good gate now with no weight on his back so you have to have some sort of confidence.

“From the draw, he will be up there somewhere. He jumps well and he is always there somewhere.”

Portelli’s only other runner on Saturday’s card is in stakes grade with Queen Of Clubs ($26) set to make her debut in the Group 3 $250,000 Gimcrack Stakes (1000m).

Queen Of Clubs finished fifth in her heat of Sydney’s first two-year-old trials last week.

“Queen Of Clubs is a pretty good filly,” Portelli said.

“Whether she is a Gimcrack filly, I am not sure. The 1000m might be a bit short for her and she is definitely going to get a bit further but she is forward and ready to go. I like her potential at the back end of the race.”

Jason Collett pilots Queen Of Clubs.

Originally published as Ideal gate and light weight has trainer Gary Portelli excited about the prospects of Kintyre in the Group 1 Epsom