Canterbury previews: Trainer Gary Portelli has a milestone moment within sight and the fire power to hit the mark

Two-time Golden Slipper winning trainer Gary Portelli can bring up a century of Canterbury winners with a couple of strong chances.

Trainer Gary Portelli is on 98 Canterbury winners and could bring up the century on Friday night. Picture: Getty Images

Gary Portelli can turn the Canterbury meeting into his own version of the Big Bash when he arrives on course with 98 wins at the venue.

The two-time Golden Slipper winner has three chances to help raise the bat on a Canterbury Century, something he never experienced in days as a member of his School’s First XI.

“My top score was 10,” Portelli said. “I was a bowler.”

Right arm fast perhaps?

“Very fast,” he quipped.

Portelli’s trio consists of the Newhaven Park born and raised two-year Proffer as well as five-year-old pairing Star Legacy and Tenderize.

Star Legacy is sure to have his share of admirers when he contests the Precise Air Handicap (1900m) with star apprentice Molly Bourke in the saddle for fourth time.

Star Legacy nails Irish Bliss near the line with @stanley_jett in the saddle for @GaryPortelli 👏 pic.twitter.com/ePlMhRIsg0

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 18, 2024

Star Legacy is no stranger to the Canterbury 1900m having three ‘track and distance’ runs on his resume including a last start third with three-time The Everest and Melbourne Cup winner, Kerrin McEvoy up top.

“He was ridden too far back last start from a good gate in a very on-pace race,” Portelli said.

“He was the only one that made up any ground.

“From barrier six, if we can get into the first four of five we will be in the finish.”

Portelli will break out the famous Segenhoe colours to hand to Bourke when she hops aboard the well-bred Tenderize on a quest for what would be just his second career win in 23 starts.

“He has been in some strong races,” Portelli said.

“Last start he took on the favourite all-the-way at Warwick Farm, it finished last and he finished third so it was a good run.

“(Barrier one) is the main thing now. He’ll jump well, he’ll go forward and he’ll make his own luck.

“He’s a chance of winning on Friday night for sure.”

It's a boilover at Warwick Farm! 😮

Amicus Curiae takes out the first leg of the quaddie at $41 fixed odds! 💰 pic.twitter.com/JgM7WebY07

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 5, 2025

Portelli will make a race morning decision of Proffer’s night time activities given the promising gelding’s wide draw in the TAB Handicap (1250m).

“He’s a horse that can race up the pace quite easily and from that gate, all we can see is a disaster, so we might be looking at our options,” the trainer said.

“We’ll wait until we see the final field, there might be a heap of scratchings so we will wait until as late as we could.”

Proffer is a member of the first crop of Newhaven Park Stud resident stallion Cool Aza Beel.

A son of Savabeel like his associate sire Mo’unga, Cool Aza Beel won four of his six lifetime starts including the Karaka Million and also the Group 1 Diamond Stakes (1200m) as did Yir Tiz, Our Paddy Boy, Vite Cheval, Lycra, Kaaptive Edition, Prince Of Praise and Alamosa.

“Cool Aza Beel was a good two-year-old and they’ve got a good head on their shoulders and they’re athletes,” Portelli said.

“I have got two of them and both horses are city class horses.”

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Aaron Bullock’s win on hotpot Zucchero at Scone last Monday was his 1,000th since his first at Muswellbrook in the winter of 2007 aboard the Jeremy Sylvester-trained Tee Gee as a four kilo claimer.

Since then, Bullock has banked Statewide Jockeys Premierships, is an almost peerless punter’s pal and the go-to man for any country trainer lucky enough to secure his services.

One such trainer is Mack Griffith who has legged aboard his fair-share of Champion country jockeys in his time including living legends, Robert Thompson and Greg Ryan,

Bullock’s tally of winners for Griffith is 26, above Thompson (20) and below Ryan (42) but growing at a rapid rate and open to increasing by two should his Quirindi bound duo Aimpoint and Sanzeno strike.

Win or lose, Bullock has no more ardent admirer than Griffith (with an honourable mention to Paul Messara).

“Aaron is my all-time favourite jockey,” Griffith said.

Contributingfactor finds himself back in the winners circle for David Atkins! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/UCcXETt7zK

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 3, 2025

“I’ve known him for 20 years and whatever we put him on, he gives them every chance and he gives good feedback.

“He doesn’t come back and sugar coat it. If he rides a bad one he’ll tell you.”

Griffith and Bullock’s potential 27th winner would be a shared highlight given the genuine possibility of an Aimpoint win in the Quirindi Cup.

Originally one of the Sheikh Mohammed string, Shaybisc descendant Aimpoint has five wins and six placings since his change of address.

And while his second-up numbers don’t read well coupled with a sharp rise in distance, Griffith won’t be using those as excuses in the event of a return home to Mudgee, without the silverware.

“Second-up previously, they weren’t really suitable races but he still ran good races when things didn’t pan out really,” Griffith said.

“He actually ran above expectations at 1280m (first-up), we thought it would be a touch too short for him.

“He had to sit three deep outside the dead and still boxed on whereas the winner had the suck run.”

Bullock and Griffith aim to send punters home on the right note with former Victorian-housed gelding Sanzeno ideally placed to repeat his Tamworth Class 1 win from last month in the final race of the day, the Country Boosted Class 2 Showcase Plate (1200m).