Gary Portelli is approaching Monday’s Warwick Farm meeting with an open mind as he prepares to give three-year-old filly Heels her first city test.
Heels is a full sister to the talented Portelli-trained Somepin Anypin but unlike with the four-year-old gelding, Portelli is still very much learning with the filly.
The daughter of Pins is also a half-sister to O’Crikey and Charlie Bub who Portelli has trained throughout their careers.
“She’s different to them,” Portelli said.
“I had the others from the time they were yearlings whereas I only got this filly from New Zealand as a three-year-old so I’m still learning a bit with her and working her out.”
Heels made her debut in a low key maiden over 1200m at Nowra on the NSW South Coast and her two length win earned her a crack at Monday’s Royal Randwick TV On Youtube Handicap (1400m).
“She’s a horse that has got ability but she just doesn’t know how to use it yet,” Portelli said.
“We went to Nowra for the education and to win was a bonus because I didn’t really think she was mentally and physically ready just yet.
“Since then I think she has come on a bit and I thought on her home track on Monday it was worth having a crack at this race in town and see where we are at with her.
“Maybe she’s one of those horses that saves her best for race days.”
Portelli said Monday’s race would be a bit of a “look and see”.
“She may go out for a break after this or if she wins again then we’ll press on and try for something a bit harder again,” he said.
Portelli, who celebrated the birth of his first child Harper last week, has four runners engaged at the Warwick Farm meeting with Heels to be joined by Lighthorseman, Maximian and Shady Favour.
Lighthorseman tackles the Rosehill Picnics 1/11 Handicap (1000m) with apprentice Sam Clipperton to to take three kilograms off the sprinter’s 54kg.
Lighthorseman was beaten half a length in a benchmark-70 over the same course and distance last start with 57kg and Nash Rawiller aboard.
Warwick Farm was rated a slow (6) on Sunday with 54.5mm of rain falling at the track in the past week.
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