Emerging sprinting star Rebel Dane is likely to continue his spring preparation in Melbourne following his dominant first-up win in Saturday’s Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) at Warwick Farm.
Rebel Dane, with last season’s Melbourne Premiership-winning jockey Glen Boss in the saddle, made it five wins from eight career starts when coming from off the pace to defeat a slick field.
Sydney trainer Gary Portelli said the four-year-old had come through yesterday’s win in good order and hinted his next appearance could come in the Group 3 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington on 7 September.
“Yesterday was a good race for him to prove what he can do and he did a great job so hopefully he can keep improving,” Portelli told TVN’s Racing Review.
“We’ll see how he does over the next few days because I want to see him bounce back to the weight he was before he won on Saturday but at this stage there are better races in Melbourne for him.
“In two weeks time the Bobbie Lewis is on down the (Flemington) straight and that looks a perfect race for him after watching him yesterday.”
Despite racing exclusively in Sydney, Portelli believes Rebel Dane will be suited down the straight at Flemington where he can showcase his explosive turn of foot.
“His best runs have probably been at Rosehill where he’s got that longer straight to balance up and unleash on so I’m looking forward to seeing him down the (Flemington) straight,” Portelli said.
“If he’s got plenty of time to balance up he might really open up so I’m looking forward to that.
“He showed on the weekend that he’s on his way, I don’t think he showed he’s there yet but we’ll see what happens over the next few weeks.”
If Portelli opts to throw the son of California Dane in the deep end in Melbourne, sprinting options during the spring include the Group 1 treble of the A.J. Moir Stakes (1200m, 27 September), Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (1200m, 25 October), both at Moonee Valley, and the Patinack Farm Classic (1200m, 9 November) at Flemington.
The Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on 29 September could also be an option for Portelli given Rebel Dane’s solid 1400m form, including a narrow runner-up placing behind Pierro in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill in March.
– Racing Victoria
