Canterbury preview: Portelli’s gelding Spaceboy on a mission

Gary Portelli’s equine rocket Spaceboy is out to claim his first Canterbury Sprint at his third attempt on New Year’s Day in Sydney

The equine rocket known as Spaceboy

Trainer Gary Portelli is hoping for a classic case of third-time lucky when he and his beloved Spaceboy make their now annual pilgrimage to Canterbury for a crack at the $200,000 Kia Canterbury Sprint.

Spaceboy, a veteran of 46 career starts, has been to Canterbury four times with a fond outcome each time including one of his trademark all-the-way wins back in November 2022.

One of the gelding’s two seconds there came in last year’s Canterbury Sprint behind one-time Everest candidate, I Am Me.

Spaceboy’s only unplaced performance at the venue was his honourable fourth in the 2022 Canterbury Sprint won by Eleven Eleven.

It should come as no surprise that Spaceboy is a ‘Canterbury horse’ and not just owing to his blinding speed.

Spaceboy’s sire, Deep Field, was unbeaten in his two starts at Canterbury, winning on debut by four and a half lengths and breaking the track record at the other.

Spaceboy’s 2024 Canterbury Sprint quest is no easier than in previous years, up against some equally – and perhaps even, faster – horses than himself, all of them drawn underneath him.

‘’It is a pretty tough race for him first-up so we are not going there with our tails in the air, that’s for sure,’’ Portelli says.

‘’It is going to be a tough effort to get across, especially at 1200m, so we might have to just ride him where he is comfortable rather than press the button and have him and Malkovich lock horns like that have done on so many occasions and just ruin each other’s chances.

‘’(But) I don’t mind him drawing wide because he takes a bit of time to muster and to get across.

‘’Most of best runs have been when he has got in nice and light and he fights on better over 1200m when that happens. When he carries big weights, he gets a bit heavy-legged late.’’

Spaceboy may have burnt a few bridges with punters in the past but he is as cherished at Portelli HQ as any of his stablemates past and present.

‘’He is a very special horse to us,’’ the two-time Golden Slipper winning trainer says ‘’We love him.

‘’He is quirky, he loves people, he loves racing, he is just a beautiful horse to deal with.

‘’When he is retired, and he is not in his box, Box 16, he will be sorely missed around the place

‘’He has just been here for so long.

‘’He is as sound as the two-year-old I saddled up against Tassort what seems like 25 years ago,’’ Portelli said.

‘’You think of whey they are now; Tassort has got two-year-old’s and my bloke is still racing so it’s a good job by the team to keep the longevity in his legs and to keep him wanting to keep racing.

‘’I have said, as soon as he looks like he doesn’t want to be a racehorse anymore, we will make sure we find a good home for him.

‘’As soon as I say that to him, he comes out and runs a big race somewhere.’’

Spaceboy was not a cheap yearling by any measure, knocked down to Portelli for $200,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions Yearling sale.

Fast forward six years and Spaceboy is a bargain, showing a $500,000 profit.

‘’He is not a punter’s horse at all, you would never tip him to anybody. But to be an owner, and know that you do not every have to pay training fees out of your own pocket must be a special feeling,’’ Portelli said.

Originally published as Canterbury preview: Portelli’s gelding Spaceboy on a mission