He only has two runners on Saturday, but trainer Gary Portelli can walk away with a winning double.
Matt Jones
Saddling up two horses on a Saturday could be seen as a quiet day at the track for Gary Portelli but he’s hoping for anything but at Rosehill this weekend.
The Warwick Farm trainer has a genuine chance of walking away from Rosehill on Saturday with a winning double and Nicci’s Fling kicks it off in the opening event.
Portelli had a very simple message.
“If the punters think she can win, then bet up because I can’t get her any better,” Portelli said.
“She’s great and is a classy filly with good formlines around her.”
She didn’t get things to go her way fresh at Kembla Grange’s The Gong meeting but still chased home Queen Bellissimo very well under the circumstances.
“She just got shuffled back the other day off a slow pace. We were hoping to be forward but somehow we got back off the speed and deep,” Portelli said.
“She ran well first-up and there’s no doubt she’s come on since then so she gets into the race not far off her peak and the wet track will suit her.
Trainer Gary Portelli says he can't get Nicci's Fling any better ahead of Saturday's Rosehill meeting. Picture: Grant Guy
Saddling up two horses on a Saturday could be seen as a quiet day at the track for Gary Portelli but he’s hoping for anything but at Rosehill this weekend.
The Warwick Farm trainer has a genuine chance of walking away from Rosehill on Saturday with a winning double and Nicci’s Fling kicks it off in the opening event.
Portelli had a very simple message.
“If the punters think she can win, then bet up because I can’t get her any better,” Portelli said.
“She’s great and is a classy filly with good formlines around her.”
She didn’t get things to go her way fresh at Kembla Grange’s The Gong meeting but still chased home Queen Bellissimo very well under the circumstances.
“She just got shuffled back the other day off a slow pace. We were hoping to be forward but somehow we got back off the speed and deep,” Portelli said.
“She ran well first-up and there’s no doubt she’s come on since then so she gets into the race not far off her peak and the wet track will suit her.”
Trainer Gary Portelli says he can't get Nicci's Fling any better ahead of Saturday's Rosehill meeting. Picture: Grant Guy
The four-year-old will be ridden by Rachel King once again and from barrier five over 1350m she should have her one off the fence in transit and she’s won second-up in the past.
“I think she’s a horse that’s always been better second and third-up and as you get into her preparation she gets tougher,” Portelli said.
“I don’t like to knock them around too much first-up when they’ve got a big prep ahead of them and she’s bounced out of that run and worked very well on Tuesday morning.
“She’s going to the races ready to go. She’s ready to win, there’s no doubt about that. She just needs some luck in running.”