Gary Portelli will welcome back Gold Trail on Friday to begin the build-up to another possible international campaign.
Gold Trail hasn’t raced since he was injured when 10th in the Group One King’s Stand Stakes (1006m) at Royal Ascot last June.
The Group One Railway Stakes (1200m) winner tore a muscle in his hindquarter at the start of the King’s Stand which forced him to return to Australia without another European start.
A recurrence of the injury when he returned to work in Australia meant his Railway defence in New Zealand on New Year’s Day was also aborted.
Gold Trail has been working on a water-walker for the past three weeks and returns to Portelli’s Warwick Farm stable on Friday.
The sprinter has been nominated for the KrisFlyer International Sprint (1200m) in Singapore in May, but the gelding needs to be invited to compete and Portelli says it’s unlikely Gold Trail will be able to race prior to then.
Gold Trail finished a gallant fourth in the Singapore race, won by Hong Kong sprinter Green Birdie, last year.
“We decided we’d give him four months off and then just a very steady preparation which we think might see us going to Singapore or unfortunately taking on Black Caviar in the BTC Cup at Doomben,” Portelli said.
“He has to be invited (to Singapore) and I don’t think he’ll have any form on the board leading up to it, unfortunately.
“With him having such a long spell and spending so much time in England he won’t have enough time to get another run under his belt.
“They would have to invite him based off his run when he went there last year.”
Portelli has been to see Gold Trail three times in the past few weeks and is looking forward to getting him back into work.
“He’s been a great horse to us, he came from struggling to win a maiden to taking us to Royal Ascot. He’s definitely my favourite horse,” the trainer said.
While Gold Trail won’t be ready in time for the Sydney autumn carnival, Portelli’s major carnival hope Rose Of Peace will continue on an AJC Australian Oaks path in Sunday’s Group Three Keith Nolan Classic (1600m) at Kembla Grange.
The talented filly was a fast-finishing third to Parables and Red Tracer last start in the Group Two Surround Stakes (1400m).
Rose Of Peace’s performance in the Keith Nolan will determine whether the filly goes to the Group One Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) or the Group Three Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) on her way to the Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on April 16.
AAP TURF
