Selecting yearlings is a painstaking process but trainer Gary Portelli has possibly found an easier way by opening the catalogue at Lot 341.
At Randwick on Monday, Lot Three Four One makes her debut in the 1100m race for two-year-old fillies and Portelli is hoping history can repeat itself.
“When we bought Before Too Long at the Melbourne Premier sale she was Lot 341,” Portelli said.
“We paid $40,000 for her and she won almost $300,000.
“A few years later one of her owners, Greg Potts, rang me and said why don’t we go back to the sale and look at Lot 341.
“He was by Delago Brom and I wasn’t that keen on the pedigree but he turned out to be one of the horses bloodstock agent Vin Cox liked so I bought him for $50,000.
“He turned out to be Delago Bolt and he won about $350,000 for the owners.
“Greg suggested we go back last year and look at Lot 341. She was by Encosta De Lago and I didn’t think we would be able to afford her.
“By coincidence she is out of the grand dam of Delago Bolt.
“We got her for $40,000 and then put the name in to see what happened and we got that, so hopefully it’s an omen.”
Lot Three Four One will be ridden by apprentice Jess Taylor and goes to the races with two recent barrier trial wins to her name.
“Her trials have been good and Jess has done a fair bit of work with her,” Portelli said.
With several scratchings in the race, the David Payne-trained Lady Macan gets a start giving Jeff Lloyd his first race ride as he makes a comeback from a stroke.
Lloyd, who has ridden winners all over the world, has been off the scene for 12 months.
Like Payne, he is originally from South Africa.
“His first ever winner was for me,” Payne said.
“When he came to Sydney a few years ago, the first winner he rode was also for me so maybe this can be too.”
Lady Macan is by Where’s That Tiger out of dual Group One winning sprinter Lady Jakeo.
