Canterbury, Dubbo previews: Mounting yard key to Houdini Spirit’s debut display
Trainer Gary Portelli believes Houdini Spirit has a big future but has one key concern heading into his first start at Canterbury on Wednesday.
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Gary Portelli will know in the mounting yard if promising type Houdini Spirit is ready to produce a show stopping debut performance in Golden Mile @ Darley Handicap 2YO Maiden (1250m) at Canterbury Park on Wednesday.
Portelli, a two-time Golden Slipper winning conditioner, believes Houdini Spirit is a colt with considerable potential but has one main concern ahead of his first start.
“I think he has the ability to win the race but it will all come down to how he parades,” Portelli said.
“He can get himself worked out. He was a muck lather of sweat at the trials the other day.
“He still won the trial but he was foaming so I need to see him calm down and relax. That’s what I will be looking for on Wednesday because I think there is a stack of horse there for me later on but he is not going to be a horse unless he does things right so that’s the worry.”
Portelli is content to keep Houdini Spirit as a colt for now as he continues to grow but concedes a gelding operation is likely in the not too distant future.
Houdini Spirit had been a $100,000 purchase at last year’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, which is a modest price to pay compared to some of his rivals.
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He will face off against the $2.5 million buy Railway Man in his maiden race start with $550,000 colt Shelstein and $450,000 debutant Happiness also lining up.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Wanaruah is the $3.60 favourite while Houdini Spirit is a $7.50 chance with newly-minted Group 1 winning apprentice Zac Lloyd aboard.
Portelli has given Houdini Spirit a pair of trial in preparation for his debut with the son of Harry Angel winning his most recent hit out over 800m stylishly.
“He has always shown he has speed in his trackwork,” Portelli said.
“I think the first trial he was a bit fat and we wanted to give him an easy one.
“And then his second trial he jumped well, controlled it and showed a good turn of foot.
“He shows good ability at home so it will be interesting to see what he shows on raceday.”
Houdini Spirit is raced by Laurel Oak Bloodstock, who also have Rebel Shadow among the acceptors for Portelli in the TAB Benchmark 72 Handicap (1250m).
However, an awkward draw in barrier 11 has Portelli weighing up whether he will start the Rebel Dane gelding.
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“It’s a bit tricky so we will wait and see how it falls with the scratchings,”he said.
“From that gate, we have to be ridden back.
“We could get a long way back and the rail is out three metres and that track can be hard for backmarkers.
“There is a race the following week at Warwick Farm which will can keep him for but we will see what the scratchings are like.”
Meanwhile, Portelli gave an update on one of his other stars that races in the Laurel Oak colours with Group 2 Queensland Guineas winner Kintyre in the early stages of his build up for the spring.
“He’s back into pre-training after three weeks off and he is just a machine,” he said.
“He likes being in the stable and he will be back in the next week or so for a campaign that might see him improve enough to maybe qualify for a race like the Golden Eagle later this year.”
Kintyre is currently a $51 chance for the Golden Eagle.
GRIFFITH HAS COMPELLING REASON FOR WINNING HAT-TRICK
Trainer Mack Griffith sees no reason why regally bred galloper Compelling Truth can’t complete a superb winning hat-trick at Dubbo on Wednesday.
The country card is the rescheduled Coonamble meeting from Sunday, which had to be moved from the venue with sections of the track still unsuitable to race.
Compelling Truth ($1.65) looks set to line up as the shortest price favourite on the program in the Nutrien AG Solutions Showcase Coonamble Cannonball (1100m).
The son of I Am Invincible out of 2015 Group 1 Flight Stakes winner Speak Fondly was bred to be a star and has highlighted his class with several brilliant performance in recent weeks.
Compelling Truth has put together back-to-back Dubbo victories, including a last start 5-3/4 length romp on what Griffith felt would be an unsuitable track.
“I didn’t really think he would appreciate the wet track as much as he did last start,” Griffith said.
“I thought he was more a dry track. He ploughed through it in good time on a wet track, which was good.
“He is a horse that has done a tendon before so I don’t overly tax him and that’s why we’ve kept him in the short races.”
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Gigaton ($3.30 fav) is a great chance of delivering Griffith a winning double on the card when Mckeowns Electrical/GT Pennell Transport 3YO & Up Maiden (1200m).
The son of Vadamos started his career in Victoria with Ben Brisbourne but has been with Griffith his past two starts where he has raced without a lot of luck.
“Last start he got shuffled back when we thought he would be in the first two or three at Tamworth last start but from a good draw, he should be in the first couple and be very hard to beat,” Griffith said.
“His form in Victoria wasn’t too bad while it wasn’t top class, but being up here in a change of surroundings, he has improved a little bit and should go well.”
Casual Mood is Griffith’s first runner on the card and he considers the daughter of Adelaide a decent each way hope.
She is a $26 chance for her third up assignment in the Rams Motel/Boss Agriculture Maiden (1600m).
“First two runs back were on unsuitable tracks, short of her best distance but I think she will run a nice race there at odds,” Griffith said.
Originally published as Canterbury, Dubbo previews: Mounting yard key to Houdini Spirit’s debut display
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