Dismissal is at big odds for the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes but trainer Gary Portelli believes the two-year-old is not out of Group One contest.
Portelli has opted to give the maiden filly a crack at Saturday’s 1400m feature for juveniles at Randwick after deciding to bypass her original target, the Group Three Baillieu (1400m), last week at Rosehill because of a wide draw.
Dismissal, to be ridden by Rachel King, strikes a larger field than Portelli was hoping for in the Sires’ but he would not be shocked to see her defy her $101 quote and be right in the mix having drawn well in barrier four of 15.
Her best result in four starts is a third in the Sweet Embrace Stakes two starts ago while she heads to the Sires’ off a seventh in the Magic Night Stakes (1200m).
“They often get the market right but she hasn’t been stopping and plodding home in her races,” Portelli said.
“She’s been finding the line in all her races and she has been drawing bad barriers.
“Last start she drew wide and there was no option but to go back to get in.
“The only time she has drawn well this preparation she ran third in the Sweet Embrace.
“Hopefully the barrier draw helps.
“I think if she gets every chance she’ll be there. I think she’s well over the odds.
“And I think if she comes through the run well I might consider backing her up into the Fernhill. Or if she happened to run a real big race the Champagne Stakes is there two weeks later.”
Dismissal did her best work late for a midfield finish on debut over 1000m in the Inglis Nursery in December then after a freshen up was fourth to subsequent Baillieu winner and Sires’ Produce contender Holyfield in a 1200m Newcastle maiden at her second start.
“That form has stood up with the horse who ran second (Prime Star) winning the Inglis Millennium,” Portelli said.
“She took ground off them and we said straight away she’s probably a horse for the Baillieu.
“We set for for the Bailleu but she drew wide last week so we decided not to run her, hoping we’d see a small field in the Sires’.
“It’s a bigger field than what we were hoping for but she has drawn well and she gets every chance at big odds.”
Golden Slipper third placegetter Mamaragan is favourite at $3.20.
