Rebel ‘Locked And Loaded’ For First-Up Missile

Rebel Dane is fighting fit ahead of his early season campaign with trainer Gary Portelli’s main worry the presence of Capitalist in the Missile Stakes.

Trainer Gary Portelli has Rebel Dane ready to go to the races but admits his early season targets will not be easy.

New jockey Tommy Berry gave Rebel Dane a work-out between races at Rosehill on Saturday to get him ready for his first-up assignment in the Missile Stakes. Saturday’s group 2 sprint will also feature the return of Golden Slipper winner Capitalist and it doesn’t get any easier after that.

Rebel Dane getting up on the outside to defeat Ball Of Muscle in the Group 2 The Shorts when first-up in September.

“He takes on Capitalist in his first start and then gets to take on Winx in the Warwick Stakes,” Portelli said. “There really aren’t any other races for him early in the season, so that’s the way it is.

“He takes on Capitalist in his first start and then gets to take on Winx in the Warwick Stakes,” Portelli said. “There really aren’t any other races for him early in the season, so that’s the way it is.

“He’s at 505 kilos which is the heaviest I’ve ever had him at the start of a preparation and is in great physical condition. I don’t think he could be any better.”

Rebel Dane covered the last 600m of Saturday’s 1000m gallop in a slick 33.07 seconds.

The winner of the 2013 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Rebel Dane is likely to go to Melbourne again this spring, with the Winterbottom Stakes in Perth also an option.

The entire has won almost $1.7 million highlighted by the Group 1 race since the Rupert Clarke.

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