Gary Portelli and Ronnie Stewart reunite after 20 years with winner at Doomben

Gary Portelli and Ronnie Stewart had a winning reunion at Doomben on Saturday as the Sydney trainer made a rare off-season trip north.

Ronnie Stewart gets Flying Trapeze home for his former boss Garry Porteli at Doomben. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Gary Portelli and Ronnie Stewart got the band back together more than two decades after it was established at Doomben on Saturday in a rare off-season trip north for the Sydney-based trainer.

Journeyman jockey Stewart has had success in Singapore, Mauritius and Macau, but it was at Sydney under Portelli where he cut his teeth as an apprentice in the early 2000s, with the pair reuniting with Flying Trapeze in the Open Handicap (1350m) on Saturday.

Stewart claimed Sydney’s champion apprentice crown in 2003 when working for Portelli, and his former boss said he was still able to pull off a job for him 21 years later when he expertly guided Flying Trapeze with a feathweight on his back at Doomben.

Flying Trapeze wins Race 5 at Doomben for @GaryPortelli! pic.twitter.com/AFfSLqk2Wi

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 27, 2024

“I thought he was going to get trapped three-deep there for a minute but he rode it beautifully, he rolled forward and put it in the gun spot,” Portelli said.

“We had 52 kgs on our back, so we had no excuses to not get past the leader (Devastate) when he kicked away on the turn, Ronnie picked him up,” Portelli said.

“Ronnie was an apprentice for me for a little while there before he went to Singapore, we had a great little association back then.”

A well supported $2.40 favourite, Stewart said it was a matter of keeping Flying Trapeze out of trouble, while the likes of Deepour took up an expected role on the speed.

“I wanted to take luck out of the equation and ride him like the best horse in the race with no weight,” he said.

“Garry and I had a lot of luck together when I was an apprentice, so it is nice to get a ride for him again.”

Ronnie Stewart working at Gary Portelli’s Warwick Farm stables as an apprentice in 2003. Picture: Brad Newman

After running third in the $3m Magic Millions 3YO Guineas earlier this year, Portelli declared his intentions of getting back to the Gold Coast in January for the $1m Magic Millions Open (1400m).

“He’s not a big horse but it goes to show, everyone goes and buys these big beautiful big, strong horses as yearlings and they end up with problems later on,” he said.

“This fella was an $85,000 yearling, I loved his shape and he is around $600,000 for his owners now.

“I want to get his benchmark high enough to get back to the Magic Millions Open race over 1400m, there are a few more points yet.”

DARWIN MISSION

Gold Coast trainer Peter Robl is a man with horses everywhere at the moment.

The astute trainer has a small team in the Northern Territory as he attempts to win the Darwin Cup next Monday with Hadouken following his Buntine Handicap win last week.

While his attention is on the famous $200,000 NT feature, Robl landed a blow at Doomben in the last 2YO Handicap of the season with Bella Khadijah.

Bella Khadijah salutes in the Doomben opener!@[e-mail]/HhTyqmp10S

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 27, 2024

It made a rare trip to town worthwhile for jockey Jag Guthmann-Chester, who took full advantage of an inside draw to mow down race favourite Savour The Dream.

“Having the good draw was the difference today, she should have finished closer last start against the same opposition, but she drew the outside gate,” he said of the well supported $4 chance.

“She could find her rhythm today and she travelled well, she can find a flat spot but she didn’t hit it for long today and she was quickly into top gear.

“I felt a long way out that she was going to put them away, she is still new and credit to her.”

Originally published as Gary Portelli and Ronnie Stewart reunite after 20 years with winner at Doomben