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Rosehill best bets, inside mail: Gary Portelli’s gun gelding Encap ‘ready to go’ in Theo Marks

Master trainer Gary Portelli is relying on an underrated duo at double figure odds to deliver his stable a feature race double at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Plus, get Ray Thomas’s best bets and quaddie picks.

Ray Thomas
5 min read
September 13, 2024 - 10:35AM
Hold All Tickets - Punters (Episode 3) 14-09-24

Master trainer Gary Portelli is relying on an underrated duo at double figure odds to deliver his stable a feature race double at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Portelli’s tough four-year-old Encap is at $14 for the Group 2 $300,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1200m) and emerging three-year-old Iron Hawk is rated a $10 chance for the Group 3 $250,000 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m).

Encap has only won once in 13 starts and that success came in the Ming Dynasty last year but he has shown his quality repeatedly since with a close second in the Group 1 Golden Rose and minor placings in the Hobartville Stakes and Eskimo Prince Stakes.

• ‘Horse of the highest quality’: Everest hope impresses Schofield

He resumed in the Show County Quality last month when fifth behind a rampant Joliestar but Portelli said his gelding would strip fitter for the Theo Marks.

“Encap is ready to go,’’ Portelli said. “He’s a horse that always tries very hard and for the 1300m, he’s still nice and fresh.

“It’s not easy to win at this high level but Encap never runs a bad race.’’

Iron Hawk is in his debut preparation, winning his maiden at the Warwick Farm midweeks, then racing competitively behind boom filly Autumn Glow in two Rosehill starts, the most recent when closing late for fourth in the Up And Coming Stakes.

“I thought Iron Hawk ran a big race last start,’’ Portelli said.

“He probably should has run a place, he was charging through the line, and he will like getting to 1400m this time.’’

• Untapped maiden could connections on the Veebees

Portelli didn’t nominate last-start Toy Show Quality winner Kimochi for the Rosehill meeting with the trainer revealing plans to keep the mare fresh for feature sprints in coming weeks.

“We are thinking of going to the Manikato Stakes next, we would love to win a Group 1 with her, but there are others to consider including The Shorts next week,’’ Portelli said.

• Daggers takes stab at Golden Rose start

Another of Portelli’s main spring carnival contenders, Kintyre, ran very well to finish a close fifth in the Tramway Stakes and is likely to go to the Bill Ritchie Handicap later this month.

“Kintyre’s run was enormous the other day,’’ the trainer said. “He was only beaten a length by Amelia’s Jewel and had more weight than her.’’

Portelli said he hoped Encap, Kimochi and Kintyre could end up in the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 2.

• EXPERT TIPS: James Molony’s race-by-race tips and analysis for Rosehill on Saturday

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ROSEHILL BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS
Race 1: Alabama State $6.50-$3.40
Race 2: Intervarsity $2.90-$2.60 with a bet of $4500 at $2.70
Race 3: Unusual Legacy $3.80-$3.10 after a bet of $2000 at $3.50, Too Much Caviar $5-$4.60, Forecaster $12-$8
Race 4: Matusalem $6-$4.80, Kureder $8-$7, Kapakiri $15-$9.50
Race 5: High Dandy $5.50-$4.40, Vivy Air $7-$6
Race 6: Joliestar $2-$1.80 with bets of $4000 at $1.80, $2000 at $1.95, $2000 at $1.90, Commemorative $11-$7.50
Race 7: Clear Proof $8-$7, Henlein $15-$8 with a bet of $2000 e/w at $14/$4, Last Command $26-$11
Race 8: Storm Boy $2.30-$2.10 with bets of $3000 at $2.10, $2350 at $2.30, $2000 at $2.10, Bustling $6-$5
Race 9: Celestial Legend $4.40-$3.80, Bases Loaded $4.40-$4, Punch Lance $6-$5 with a bet of $1500 e/w at $5/$1.85, Boom Torque $15-$6.50
Race 10: The Black Cloud $8-$7.50

• Shayne O’Cass’s tips, analysis for Run To The Rose Day at Rosehill

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EARLY QUADDIE
Race 3: 2,3,5,7
Race 4: 4,7,11,13
Race 5: 3,5,13,17
Race 6: 2,3

QUADDIE
Race 7: 1,2,6,11
Race 8: 1,2,3,4
Race 9: 1,5,9,15
Race 10: 10,11,14

• Rosehill Turf Talk: Mitch Cohen, Shayne O’Cass present their best bets for Saturday

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PRICE CHECK
Intervarsity (race 2) has firmed from $2.90-$2.60 after a big bet of $4500 at $2.70. Joliestar (race 6) is been heavily backed from $2 to $1.80 with bets of $4000 at $1.80, $2000 at $1.95 and $2000 at $1.90. Storm Boy (race 8) has also been well backed from $2.30 to $2.10 with bets of $3000 at $2.10, $2350 at $2.30 and $2000 at $2.10.

• The Everest set to gain Group 1 status this year

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TRIAL POINTERS
Belclare (race 6), a dual Group 1 winner in New Zealand, is a new stable recruit for Bjorn Baker and has impressed at the trials ahead of her Sheraco Stakes return. She won a Randwick heat comfortably for notable trial horses, Moravia and Bases Loaded, then looked particularly sharp winning another Randwick trial from Cafe Millenium and Sunshine In Paris. She’s never won in four previous first-up attempts but her barrier trial efforts for Baker suggests she is ready to sprint well fresh.

• The State Of Origin invite that paved the way for The Everest to gain Group 1 status

Whinchat (race 9), a noted first-up performer, resumes off two solid barrier trials, the latest a brilliant effort at Warwick Farm when he led throughout and raced clear without being tested by his ride to beat classy duo Kintyre and Gringotts by nearly three lengths. Whinchat is second emergency for the Theo Marks Stakes but always races well fresh, he’s drawn well and has nothing on his back.

• Chris Waller, Ciaron Maher dominate Epsom Handicap nominations

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SECTIONAL STARS
Unusual Legacy (race 3) caught the eye first-up when he ran on strongly for third behind Too Much Caviar over the Rosehill 1500m two weeks ago. Unusual Legacy settled back near last early but zoomed home his final 600m in 33.56s including a 200m closing split of 11.43s as he powered to the line to finish third, beaten about two lengths. Unusual Legacy is protecting an unbeaten second-up record and is suited going to 1800m.

Blanc De Blanc (race 10) ran her final 600m in 32.94s to beat all but the undefeated Briasa when resuming at Rosehill two weeks ago. Blanc De Blanc followed Briasa from the top of the straight and although no match for the winner the mare ran on to finish second, posting impressive sectionals. She has drawn perfectly in barrier one and should be able to settle closer to the speed.

• Kosciuszko draw: Dual winner among first horses picked

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BEST BET
Joliestar (race 6) was absolutely dynamic when resuming in the Show County Quality, sprinting home final 600m in a brilliant 32.71s – the best of the meeting – as she raced away to win by nearly three lengths at Randwick last month. It was a monstrous return by a mare who has never missed a top two place in seven starts, winning four. She is short enough in betting but looks a safe bet in the Sheraco Stakes where bad luck in running is in her main danger.

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VALUE
First Light (race 4) has been improved by two runs from a spell and indicated a return to winning form is imminent when he closed out his race strongly to finish fourth behind Matusalem over 2000m here two weeks ago. The Chris Waller-trained duo meet again but First Light has a 3kg weight advantage and he gets out to his optimum 2400m trip. Terrific each way value at $10.

Originally published as Rosehill best bets, inside mail: Gary Portelli’s gun gelding Encap ‘ready to go’ in Theo Marks

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Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/horse-racing/rosehill-best-bets-inside-mail-gary-portellis-gun-gelding-encap-ready-to-go-in-theo-marks/news-story/97028d37864a0dc13e2d625d53bb74a7