February 2016

Rebel Drawn To Get Orr-Some Chance

Rebel Dane was one of the big winners of the 2016 Ladbrokes Orr Stakes and trainer Gary Portelli believes that gate four gives his star galloper every possible chance to take out the Group 1 event at Caulfield on Saturday.

Rebel Dane has often been plagued by poor barrier draws throughout his racing career and he did not have a great deal of luck last start in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on January 23, but Portelli is hopeful that the California Dane entire will get an ideal run into the race from gate four and with a touch of luck will be right in the finish of the Orr Stakes.

“He should, but it all comes down to speed early,” Portelli told Racing Ahead.

“It is tricky because there are probably going to be horses there that are looking for further.

“If he gets to the right spot, he is certainly going well enough to be very competitive.

“He is not out of it and the gate puts him right into the race.”

Rebel Dane Bradleys

Rebel Dane was sent to the spelling paddock following his credible third in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 23, but he returned to racing in the Australia Stakes just over a fortnight ago.

The six-year-old started the race as favourite and never really looked like winning, but Portelli said that not everything went to plan in the run and the Group 1 winner will take plenty of benefit out of the run ahead of the 2016 Ladbrokes Orr Stakes.

“It was a funny run race, they went out and didn’t go through the first 600 that quick, which had us a bit closer than I anticipated,” Portelli said.

“A little bit of pressure came from his outside at the 600 and Brenton had to get on his bike to find some clear running.

“He probably did a bit more work from the 600 to the 400 than what we were hoping and basically had a position where he had to attack the corner.

“He wobbled around the turn and probably just knocked up late.

“It wasn’t ideal, but he tried his heart out and I think he has come on from the run.”

Rebel Dane is currently available at 2016 Ladbrokes Orr Stakes odds of $17, while Lucky Hussler ($4.60) is a narrow favourite from Turn Me Loose ($4.80), Boban ($8.50) and Bow Creek ($10).

Better Result As Shamardal’s Son Salutes

While it may have been a long time between drinks for the extremely talented Better Land, fingers crossed that his victory at Ballarat on Thursday was the confidence booster the son of Shamardal needed to get him back to the level we know he is capable of!

A winner on debut before two narrow efforts behind Scissor Kick in the Listed Rosebud (second) and the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (fourth), everything hasn’t really not go to plan since.

Better Land 1

Now four, trainer Peter Moody elected to give the Inglis Easter yearling purchase almost six months away from the track and after a pleasing length and a half third when resuming, Better Land managed to put it all together at Ballarat when contesting the Sportsbet Watch Live Benchmark 70 over 1400m.

Away well from the middle of the line for jockey Linda Meech, the four-year-old went forward and settled a few lengths off leader Ballinaclash in fourth, with race favourite Satya settled in second.

With the field staying in the same formation for most of the race, Better Land started to make his run once the field rounded the final bend.

Although Meech needed to give Better Land a reminder of why he was there, in the end it was somewhat a soft long neck win from Satya, and fingers crossed for his owners that all appears back on track with the well-bred stallion prospect.

Congratulations to fellow owners; R A Pegum, Laurel Oak Shamrock (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Ramsey Pastoral Company Pty Ltd (Mgr: S B Ramsey), D J Tamblyn, R S Willis, Mrs J M Tamblyn, D J Tamblyn, R V 8 (Mgr: R V Dulhunty), M R Tudehope, B N E Hastie, M J Forsdick, A N Fitzgerald, Rdfit Pty Ltd (Mgr: S C Cook) and A W Reichard, as well as trainer Peter Moody and jockey Linda Meech.

To watch a reply of the victory, click the below image.

BL Ballarat

Wild weather win for Wide Acclaim

Improving three-year-old Wide Acclaim made up for some unlucky runs in town with an on-pace victory in the RTS Thoroughbreds Hcp (1200m) at Kembla on Saturday.

Louis Mihalyka of Laurel Oak Bloodstock (FBAA) said it was worth braving the return trip from Sydney amid wild storms to see him surge through a gap for an impressive half-length victory.

Jockey Jess Taylor jumped Wide Acclaim quickly from the gates and settled third on the fence. The inside was considered a little off due to the Heavy 9 surface but he stuck on strongly when challenged by Angel Miss.

WIDE ACCLAIM_LEX5175

Wide Acclaim was coming off close up finishes behind Kangarilla Joy (Rosehill) and River Wild (Randwick) and both those winners have stakes races on the radar. “He’s starting to learn the trade and with time will be a much better horse,” trainer Gary Portelli said. “He will also appreciate some further ground.”

The Congrats three year-old was a $100,000 purchase from Vinery Stud at the 2014 Gold Coast Magic Millions. His dam Dirty (Hussonet) was a Group 3 winner of the Vo Rogue Plate and she also foaled the Gai Waterhouse trained winner Cabeza De Vaca (Northern Meteor).

Mihalyka is back from Karaka for the Inglis Classic Summer Sale and returned home with colts by Reliable Man ($210,000) and Ocean Park ($120,000).

His Classic Sale buys last year included a $150,000 colt Like A Shot (Smart Missile) with Keith Dryden and the fillies Whytwokay (Domesday) with David Hayes and Rainover Manhattan (Manhattan Rain) who is a stablemate of Wide Acclaim.

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