Unbeaten colt Rebel Dane will take on older horses when he kicks off his autumn Classic campaign at Rosehill on Saturday.
Trainer Gary Portelli has earmarked an 1100m Benchmark 85 as the starting point for Rebel Dane who showed his readiness with a sparking barrier trial win earlier this month.
“The race against the older horse fits into his program heading to the Randwick Guineas,” Portelli said.
“He’s done well since the trial and I couldn’t be happier.”
While the older horses will test Rebel Dane, it could be an other three-year-old who provides the greater opposition with Queensland sprinter Better Than Ready a likely Rosehill starter.
Concerned about the wet weather at home, trainer Kelly Schweida has signalled a change of plans for the Randwick 1200m record holder.
Schweida has planned a light autumn for Better Than Ready who is entered for the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on March 9.
Portelli will stick to his plans with three-time winner Rebel Dane and step him up in distance going towards the Randwick Guineas (1600m) which this year will be run at Warwick Farm, the colt’s home track.
Although Rebel Dane is by Group Two winning sprinter California Dane, the trainer believes he has enough stamina from his dam Texarcana to be effective over longer distances.
“I trained his mother and she ran in an Oaks,” he said.
Texarcana finished an inglorious last in Serenade Rose’s 2005 Victorian Oaks but won three races from 1550m to 2100m.
Saturday’s racing was a mixed bag for Portelli with two-year-old Loutrel distressed after finishing last and $41 chance Mickelburg winning without the trainer having a bet on her.
Portelli left for the New Zealand yearling sales on Sunday none the wiser about Loutrel who finished 22-1/2 lengths from the winner Guelph.
“Initial impressions are that it was heat stress,” he said.
“He was in a very bad way straight after the race.”
The trainer was more upbeat about another of his juvenile prospects, All The Talk who has a win and a third from two starts.
“He’s running in a barrier trial on Friday,” Portelli said.
“I’m hoping he can get to the Golden Slipper.
“I’ve had a few runners over the years and never really got close but he might be the one.”
