Testashadow has been a grand campaigner for the Gary Portelli stable but is now stepping into rare territory.
Five of the gelding’s eight wins have been over 1400 metres including the Magic Millions Cup in January this year and the Festival Stakes earlier this month.
He will now move up to the 2000 of Tuesday’s Group Three Summer Cup as a precursor to the Magic Millions Trophy over 2200m.
The six-year-old has run once over 2000 metres, finishing second to Allergic in February 2016.
He goes into the Summer Cup off a sixth, beaten 1-1/2 lengths, in the Villiers Stakes (1600m) and is stretching out with a view to the Magic Millions Trophy at the Gold Coast on January 13 which will be run over 2200 metres.
Portelli admitted he is now struggling to find races to suit Testashadow whose record has started to tell against him.
“He’s in a world of pain with his benchmark (104),” Portelli said.
“They don’t hold open handicaps any more. They are all benchmark 90s and he would have to carry too much weight.
“He is a great horse for the stable and has won $1.3 million but he has become a hard horse to place now. There isn’t a lot for him.”
On the eve of the Summer Cup, Testashadow was a $7.50 chance with the market headed by Black On Gold at $4.80.
Testashadow will carry 57kg, half a kilo less than last year’s winner Red Excitement ($5.50) with veteran Destiny’s Kiss ($13) topweight with 59kg.
Mighty Lucky, who won the race two years ago and finished fourth in the Villiers, is at $5.
Tye Angland will ride Testashadow for the first time.
Testashadow will be Portelli’s leading light at the Magic Millions with the trainer deciding against taking Single Bullet for the Guineas (1400m) after his second to Wild Heart at Wyong when he failed to sustain his run over 1200 metres in Magic Millions 3&4YO race.
