Trainer Gary Portelli weighs up bold Group 1 backup for star three-year-old Kintyre

Gary Portelli is mulling over a surprise Group 1 backup plan for Kintyre who contests Saturday’s Group 3 Rough Habit Plate at Doomben.

Cejay Graham lands the biggest win of her career on Kintyre in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas at Eagle Farm for trainer Gary Portelli. Picture: Grant Peters - Trackside Photography.

Gary Portelli’s in-form galloper Kintyre and boom apprentice jockey Cejay Graham will audition this Saturday for a potential surprise tilt at the Group 1 Doomben Cup seven days later.

Kintyre and star Brisbane youngster Graham combined to win the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) earlier this month in what was the biggest win of the young jockey’s career.

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They will link up again in Saturday’s Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben, a race that has often been a springboard towards the Group 1 Queensland Derby over 2400m a fortnight later.

However Portelli doubts Kintyre’s ability to stay a strong 2400m.

But, provided Kintyre wins or races well in the Rough Habit on Saturday, Portelli would have few qualms about backing the three-year-old gelding up to take on seasoned contenders at weight-for-age in the $1m Doomben Cup (2000m) on May 25.

“If he won on Saturday, I would definitely look at backing him up in the Doomben Cup,” Portelli said.

“It comes down to how he gets around this weekend. I just don’t feel he can stick 2400m, I think he stretches himself to 2000m. But I will be guided by whatever happens on Saturday.”

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

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 4, 2024

Graham, who barring disaster will score this season’s Brisbane apprentice jockeys’ title, will be riding Kintyre on Saturday with a potential Group 1 chance seven days later in mind.

The 25-year-old has never ridden in a Group 1 and Portelli says he would almost certainly stick with her if Kintyre was to race in the Doomben Cup.

“If she was to win on this horse on the weekend, I would give her a crack at the Group 1 (Doomben Cup) for sure,” Portelli said.

“Jockeys who are in form and who get on well with a horse, you can’t beat that.”

Cejay Graham. Picture: Grant Peters – Trackside Photography.

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Portelli revealed Graham had snared the booking to ride Kintyre due to the work she had done behind the scenes in Brisbane for the Sydney trainer.

Graham helped Portelli out after the shock scratching of the 2023 Queensland Oaks favourite Fireburn, when Queensland vets ruled the filly lame only days out from the race in the last winter carnival.

“After they scratched Fireburn from the Oaks, Cejay was good enough to go and jump on her and she gave me her opinion of whether she should have been scratched or not,” Portelli said.

“She didn’t have to do that – she gave me great feedback.

“Whenever I watch Queensland racing, for some reason when I turn the TV on, she is riding a winner. I love her style and the way she can lift a horse when she needs to.”

Trainer Rob Heathcote talks to @bendorries76 about Stradbroke Handicap hopeful Abounding and Rough Habit Plate contender Press Link at Doomben trackwork this morning 👇@TrentonAkers@BrisRacingClub@Racing_QLDpic.twitter.com/dKUNfv4EpZ

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) May 13, 2024

Originally published as Trainer Gary Portelli weighs up bold Group 1 backup for star three-year-old Kintyre