Gary Portelli isnât planning too far ahead with his 2017 Golden Slipper favourite She Will Reign who needs to measure up in Randwickâs Inglis Nursery this weekend to continue towards the worldâs richest race for two-year-olds in the autumn.
Gary Portelli trains early 2017 Golden Slipper betting favourite She Will Reign who races in the Inglis Nursery at Randwick on the weekend. Photo: Daniel Costello.
The highly promising Manhattan Rain filly skyrocketed to the top of all-in betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 18, 2017 after winning her debut last weekend.
She Will Reign stepped out at Kembla Grange over 1000m and blitzed her rivals by over eight lengths as the odds-on favourite with apprentice Deanne Panya aboard.
The filly is on the quick back-up this weekend and rises in class, shooting for a win in the lucrative $500,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Royal Randwick.
She is drawn a treat jumping from barrier two in the 13-starter field and will benefit from the booking of Ben Melham second-up.
Melham was aboard She Will Reign for her first official trial back on November 22 at Rosehill when she won impressively over 900m by over five lengths in the hit-out.
Unsurprisingly Melhamâs mount is odds-on again at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $1.95 to retain her undefeated status as she faces a tougher field of competitors.
Sheâs also at $11 in Golden Slipper betting for the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival classic, a price sure to firm should she get the job done for the punters on Saturday.
Portelli is yet to saddle-up a Golden Slipper winner and is more focused on the Inglis Nursery this weekend than next yearâs Group 1 at this stage with She Will Reign.
“I’m not getting too far ahead of myself just yet,” he told Racing Victoria.
“The Inglis Nursery is the race that I’ve had as the target for some time and I’m happy with where things are at presently.
“There is no point making future plans until we see how she measures up this weekend.”
Early second favourite in futures Golden Slipper odds at $13 meanwhile is the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Khan.
The Exceed And Excel colt won his debut at Randwick on October 1 taking out the Listed Breeders Plate (1000m) and shapes up as an exciting hope for dual Slipper winning trainer Peter Snowden.
Snowden trained the 2011 winner Sepoy as the head trainer for Darley (now Godolphin) Australia before his victory this year with Capitalist in partnership with his son Paul.
To check out the full early Golden Slipper Stakes 2016 odds head to Ladbrokes.com.au now where first time depositing players that quote the code BETBONUS are also eligible for up to $500 in bonus match bets (excluding NSW / T&Cs apply).