Portelli eyes Slipper after Sejardan bags Gift
GARY Portelli, a master trainer of two-year-olds, has designs on a second Golden Slipper after Sejardan’s outstanding win at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Sejardan maintained the perfect start to his race career when he came from near last on the turn to score a spectacular win in the $1 million Golden Gift (1100m).
Portelli knows what it takes to win the Golden Slipper having prepared She Will Reign to take out the world’s richest juvenile race in 2017 and he has a growing belief that Sejardan is made of the right stuff, too.
“He had to do what he did today to prove to me he’s the real deal,’’ Portelli said.
“This was a strong race and the backmarkers weren’t really ‘playing’ today. He’s just done everything you want to see from a young horse.
“He has this beautiful, big action, he can accelerate quite easily and he has this massive finish.
“And he wants to win – it’s not something you can teach him, they have to want to do it and he has this fierce determination to win.
“I know there are going to be better horses coming through, we’ve only seen a small group of two-year-olds to this point, but he’ll improve as much as anyone. I think we saw a winner.”
Sejardan ($5.50), ridden by Jason Collett, unleashed a tremendous surge wide out to win the Golden Gift in an exciting finish by a half neck from Shalatin ($4.40) with Ojai ($4.80) a long neck away third.
Portelli admitted the heartstopping finish is not something he would want to endure too often. “That was scary to watch,’’ Portelli said.
“I know Jason said before the race he was hoping to get a position but I don’t think you can on this bloke. You’ve just got to ride him cold.”