Gary Portelli targets Encap at Alan Brown Stakes with Kintyre also a chance to back up
Encap will have a new jockey in the Alan Brown Stakes while stablemate Kintyre could also back up in the $1.5 million feature.
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Gary Portelli is on the lookout for a new jockey for leading hope Encap in Saturday’s $1.5 million Listed Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) while he mulls over backing Kintyre up in the Rosehill Gardens feature.
Star jockey Jason Collett was booked to continue his partnership with Encap but will be sidelined for the meeting after picking up a five-meeting careless riding ban at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Collett partnered Encap to success in the last start in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes but will begin a ban on Thursday to be back in time for The Everest day on Saturday week.
Portelli was yet to lock in a replacement rider on Sunday as he plots a course towards the $10 million Golden Eagle with Encap.
READ: Big bets review from Saturday’s racing
But the Warwick Farm trainer is ecstatic with how his son of Capitalist is going in the lead up to the Alan Brown.
He gave Encap a tick over trial last Monday at Warwick Farm and expects his four-year-old to be a leading contender in the Alan Brown.
“I am really happy with him, he’s absolutely flying,” Portelli said.
“I couldn’t be happier with the way he trialled and has been working.
“He had a track gallop last Thursday and his rider said he hasn’t felt him come through a run or been this well for a long time.
“I think the Alan Brown sits well for his program, he likes a gap between his runs so he will go there and then the Golden Eagle is three weeks later.”
Stablemate Kintyre is a chance of joining his stablemate in the Alan Brown and will be among the nominations on Monday.
READ: Jockey suspended for taking a photo of another rider in jockeys’ room
It's Ceolwulf right down the outside in the TAB Epsom and he sails away to take the famous G1 mile for @SchofieldChad and @PrideRacing! ðŸ†@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/irirNeZGse
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024
Kintyre settled close to the speed in the Epsom Handicap before battling away in the straight to finish ninth, 4-1/4 lengths off explosive winner Ceolwulf.
“He probably needed that run on Saturday and trying to keep up with Gai’s horse (Major Beel) probably took it out of him. He had a big blow,” Portelli said.
“He will be in the noms and we will have a think about backing him up next week.”
Kintyre is also on a Golden Eagle (1500m) path for the $10 million feature on November 2 at Rosehill Gardens where he is a $101 outsider while Encap is at $26.
Smart stablemate Kimochi will make it a trio of Portelli chances in the Golden Eagle and will line up in Saturday week’s Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick.
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
FIVE TO FOLLOW
FLYING BANDIT (Race 1)
The Kerry Parker-trained galloper has drawn in double digit gates all three runs this preparation but was doing his best work late for second on Saturday. If he can draw a gate, tipping he wins next start.
Off and racing on TAB Epsom day, and it's a big win to State Of America in the Midway for @ZacLloydx and @DPayneRacing 🇺🇸@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/nEW1DtO3od
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024
MEMO (Race 3)
After drawing wide, she was never closer than four deep in the Gimcrack and finished off well enough. There’s not a lot of two-year-old races around but keen to be with her when she re-emerges from a better gate. Big tick for Bel Merci too.
Thank you very much! ðŸ™
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024
The fav Bel Merci by Extreme Choice wins the G3 Gimcrack Stakes with absolute ease!@aus_turf_club | @SchofieldChad | @JTRacingRwikpic.twitter.com/DED9h3RVoS
CEOLWULF (Race 9)
He’s a genuine star on the rise and was awesome winning the Epsom Handicap. There’s plenty of options left for him during the spring and I will be sticking with him wherever he goes.
It's Ceolwulf right down the outside in the TAB Epsom and he sails away to take the famous G1 mile for @SchofieldChad and @PrideRacing! ðŸ†@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/irirNeZGse
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024
PORT LOCKROY (Race 10)
He was competitive in stakes grade as a three-year-old and looks ready to get to that level again following his slashing return behind stablemate Ostraka.
BRIASA (Race 10)
This gelding may have suffered his first defeat but he’s gone enormous from the wide draw, going down half a length after getting caught off the track. He’s a stakes class galloper in waiting.
Ostraka makes it three wins in a row in the TAB Hcp, the last at Randwick today! 🙌@ANeashamRacing | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/EJ5Vxvd7Gu
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024
STEWARDS SAY
Depth Of Character (race 4): Did not settle once in the lead and failed to close off in the home straight. Was found to be displaying cardiac arrhythmia for the first time post-race.
Johnny The Kid (race 4): Jockey Nash Rawiller said he never travelled comfortably and gave ground under pressure in the home straight, copping interference at the 250m. The colt was slow to recover post – race.
Snowman (race 5): Was disappointing in the manner he gave ground in the horse straight with James McDonald feeling he did not race genuinely under full pressure. He was found to be slow to recover and will be spelled as well as gelded.
Think About It (race 7): Both jockey Jason Collett and trainer Joe Pride were questioned over tactics to restrain the gelding and ride him back. A more genuine tempo was anticipated at the pace of the race didn’t suit The Everest winner.
Zardozi (race 8): Apprentice Zac Lloyd fired in a protest against winner Land Legend alleging interference near the 400m where the pair made contact. Stewards could not be comfortably satisfied that had the interference impacted the result.
CRUNCH TIME
Bel Merci (race 3): Showed sustained speed to lead all the way in the Gimcrack, clocking her last 600m in 33.67 seconds with an overall time of 57.84 seconds for the 1000m. It stacked up well against the colt’s division, with winner King Kirk running 57.60 seconds in the Breeders’.
Lady Shenandoah (race 6): Sat perfectly poised in midfield in the run before exploding late to win. She finished her last 600m in 33.93 seconds with a decisive 10.89 split between the 400m and 200m.
Make way for the lady!
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024
Lady Shenandoah makes a mess of the G1 Flight Stakes with a dominant win for @ZacLloydx and @cwallerracing!@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/GAlwl6Ber6
Airman (race 7): Suited when the race turned into a sit and sprint. His 10.68 seconds dash between the 400m and the 200m won him the Premiere Stakes while Bella Nipotina had the fastest last 600m of 32.95 seconds to finish third.
Ceolwulf (race 8): Was dominant from back in the field in the Epsom, running the only sub 34 second final 600m of the race. His final two furlongs of 10.81 and 11.42 were the slickest of the race.
TRACK TALK
“This is a very special horse with a big ‘engine’.” Joe Pride on Ceolwulf.
“As soon as I clicked him up, I was confident I was the winner immediately. He had a blistering turn of foot.” Chad Schofield on Ceolwulf.
“Look what he’s just beaten, he’s up there with them. He’s proven he can do it.” Michael Hawkes on Airman’s Everest hopes.
“They ran two seconds slower than he did in The Everest last year,‘’ Think About It’s trainer Joe Pride.
“I’ve kind of waited my turn. It’s surreal, don’t get me wrong. I’m not the emotional type, but this is fantastic.” Reece Jones after his maiden Group 1.
“It was a tough week but I’m not going to get emotional about it because I’m so blessed to have these types of horses in the stable.” Chris Waller on Autumn Glow and Lady Shenandoah.
YOU CAN BET ON IT
Flight Stakes
Snow In May was the best backed runner on the Randwick card with around 55% out of TAB outlays. Lady Shenandoah held 20% with the best bet $3000 @ $3.20.
Premiere Stakes
Airman was a huge upset for punters holding less than 2% of TAB investments.
Notable bets included $300 @ $71, $100 e-w @ $71/$22, $50 e-w @ $81/$26, $200 @ $61 multiple times.
The Metropolitan
Land Legend was fourth most popular with TAB punters despite being on the third line of an open betting race. There were multiple bets of $1000 @ $8 and $8.50.
Epsom Handicap
Ceolwulf was a popular result for punters with multiple $2500 outlays between $5 and $4.40 and several $2000 bets at the same price.
THE SCHEDULE
Monday: Warwick Farm, Muswellbrook
Tuesday: Goulburn, Kempsey
Wednesday: Kensington
Thursday: Hawkesbury, Orange
Friday: Port Macquarie, Canberra
Saturday: Rosehill Gardens, Kembla Grange, Forbes, Albury, Young
Sunday: Coonamble, Queanbeyan
RON DUFFICY’S ROYAL RANDWICK SNAPSHOT
RUN OF THE DAY.
Ceolwulf was brutal with his Epsom win charging down the middle.
He has all the attributes of an ideal top-liner moving forward over multiple distances in the Autumn and his Spring might not be finished yet.
FORGET THEY RAN
Tupakara should have got a lot closer in the Gimcrack after being held up at a vital stage and has a nice future while Briasa is obviously very talented suffering his first defeat with plenty of excuses from the wide draw.
THE BLACK BOOK
Plenty to choose from but I’m taken with the way Port Lockroy has returned.
He was unfancied 1st up on Saturday but still surged through the line looking good.
He could well be a 4yo on the rise.
RIDE OF THE DAY
Zac Lloyd was like a man possessed winning 3 races and it could have been easily 5 with Zardozi and Briasa looking unlucky.
Special mention to Rachel King with a gem early on King Kirk, Chad Schofield did me a favour with his professional winning double and Reece Jones kept his cool winning his first G1 on Land Legend.
Originally published as Gary Portelli targets Encap at Alan Brown Stakes with Kintyre also a chance to back up
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