Doubly promising
RONSTAR, the swayback sprinter with a decision over boom colt Diplomatico, and Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign’s half- brother, Time To Reign, give trainer Gary Portelli the chance to end the Sydney carnival with a winning double at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
This is the 13th successive Sydney Saturday meeting with stakes racing and includes the Listed $ 150,000 Brian Crowley Stakes ( 1200m) which Portelli has selected as Ronstar’s new season comeback race.
Portelli said he was keen to get Ronstar’s three- year- old season underway provided the Randwick track surface was not too heavy on Saturday.
“Ronstar’s a promising horse and his two trials have been good leading into Saturday’s race,’’ Portelli said.
“In his first trial which he won, he just jumped and ran then in his trial the other day he put his head down missed the start.
“But it worked out good as we had to ride him in behind them and he reacted well, he was very professional.
“The track was heavy that day so we didn’t push him out but he balanced up nicely. I’ll be watching the weather this week as I’m reluctant to run him first- up if it is too heavy.’’
Ronstar won two of his three starts last season including his narrow defeat of Diplomatico back in June.
Diplomatico, brilliant winner of his only other start by more than four lengths at the Kensington earlier this month, is among 15 quality entries for the Brian Crowley Stakes.
Time To Reign ran away and with a Warwick Farm barrier trial in heavy going last week and is set to make his debut in the Kirkham Plate ( 1000m).
Portelli was prepared for the inevitable question: “How does Time To Reign compare his older sister, She Will Reign?”
“Nothing compares to her,’’ Portelli replied.
“She Will Reign was freakish. She was running 21s for her final two furlongs ( 400m) in her track gallops as an early season two- year- old.
“But don’t get me wrong, Time To Reign is a very athletic colt and he has potential, no doubt. Every time we gallop him with something, we have to wait for them as he has so much on them.”