John Schell
Warwick Farm trainer Gary Portelli is hoping his success with Godolphin can continue at Wyong on Sunday when he starts Weekend Market in the Spelling At Domeland Super Maiden Plate (1200m).
Portelli has enjoyed a number of winners for Godolphin since being given some of the conglomerates team to condition, with the latest being Thames on the Kensington track at Randwick on May 13.
The trainer has engaged Alysha Collett to partner Weekend Market at Wyong, with the mare by Brazen Beau out to win her first race after having three placings from seven starts.
โSheโs a mare that has been racing well and she is closing in on a win,โ said Portelli.
โShe resumed this preparation with a strong second at Wyong behind a handy horse and then was beaten less than a length when fourth at Wyong.
โShe was back in the placings when second again at Hawkesbury at her last start when she was beaten in a close photo and if she can run up to that on Sunday then she looks very hard to beat.โ
Collett has also been booked to ride the Portelli trained Artistic Lady in the Australian Metal Recycling Maiden Handicap (1100m), although the filly is sixth emergency for her event.
Apprentice Anna Roper will steer Cool Blaze for Portelli in the Coast Community News Midway Class 1 Handicap (1000m).
โSheโs a Pierata mare that has been pretty consistent in her eight-start career,โ Portelli said.
โShe won her maiden at Canberra back in December and then ran second in a Wyong race before she went for a spell.
โShe won a trial fresh this campaign and then ran third at Wyong when resuming. She wasnโt beaten far at all in that event, and sheโs drawn to get the run of the race on Sunday.โ
Portelliโs final runners at Wyong will be Fine Wine (Collett) and Matchsticks, to be ridden by Andrew Adkins, in the Happy Birthday Charlotte F&M Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m).
โThey both ran well enough at their latest starts to suggest they can figure in the finish if they can hold that form,โ said Portelli.
