Portland ends frustrating run in Australia to open up spring potential

Matthew Smith just needed a win to turn a frustrating preparation with Portland into a good one.

Now the Warwick Farm trainer is looking to handicap races in the 2000-2400m range in the spring, and maybe one more run this campaign, with renewed confidence after the import scored a first Australian win on Saturday in the listed Lord Mayors Cup (2000m) at Rosehill.

The five-year-old Dubawi gelding, which was group 1 placed in France with Aidan O’Brien, had been a source of frustration for Smith after shin soreness delayed his Australian career.

After 15 months without a race, he then put together five promising runs with a best of third in the group 2 Neville Sellwood Stakes.

Before Saturday’s win, Smith believed Portland was not quite at his best and would be better in his second preparation, in the spring. He also believed Portland would go to another level on wet ground, which he found on Saturday.

As for having another start this preparation, Smith said: “He was great today. Let’s see how he pulls up.”

Winona Costin found the rail midfield on Portland from a draw in gate nine, and they made the most of the gaps when they came in the straight to beat favourite Zambardo by a neck. Zaphod was a half-length third.

“I did exactly what you didn’t want me to do,” Costin quipped to Smith stable representative Jamie Smith about finding the fence.

“I was trying to edge up outside one so we didn’t get pushed to the fence; however, that didn’t happen, and I was happy to just get him to travel throughout. Coming to the 600 and onwards, the runs just kept opening up.”

Adam Farragher was suspended four meetings (June 7-12) for careless riding when shifting out on Glory Daze at the 300m. Jake Bayliss copped a $400 fine for excessive whip use on Belvedere Boys.

Waller colt bolts into JJ Atkins contention

Tron Bolt stamped himself as the JJ Atkins favourite after repeating his dominant midweek win on Saturday at Rosehill as a part of the treble for top trainer Chris Waller.

The $900,000 Hermitage-owned Toronado colt, a three-length winner on the Kensington track on May 13, cruised to a one and three-quarter length victory in the 1300, 2YO handicap over Cormier.

He was in from $8 at the start of the day to a $3.50 favourite for the group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 13. It also brought up a 200th winner for Waller in NSW this season.

Siena Grima rode the winner taking her to 20 city victories this season, eight away from Braith Nock in the Sydney apprentices’ premiership.

Sounds Unusual made it a double for Waller when he finished over the top of stablemate Belle Detelle in the 1800m benchmark 78 handicap. Duckworth said both appreciated the solid tempo and wet ground, and there were cup race possibilities for them in the winter.

Well-bred import Ertijaaj made it a treble and led in a trifecta for the stable in the next, a 1500m benchmark 72 for three and four-year-olds, holding off a fast-finishing Island Dream, a length in front of John Dory, for jockey Tyler Schiller.

The four-year-old, a daughter of Golden Slipper Estijaab and Irish-bred stallion Night Of Thunder, backed up a smart win on her Australian debut at Caulfield Heath.

Duckworth was unsure of the path ahead for Ertijaaj, which had one start in England, but said the Emirates Park-owned talent had more to learn.

“She came over from Europe, and she didn’t look like she was going to come here and go bang-bang, but she has, so she’s obviously improved significantly,” he said.

At Eagle Farm, Waller trained the group 1 Queensland Derby quinella with Providence and Monopolistic. James McDonald rode Providence, giving him a 16th Australian group 1 win of the season to equal Malcolm Johnston’s record set in 1979-80.

It was also a memorable day at Eagle Farm for Warwick Farm trainer Joe Pride after Headley Grange won the group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup.

Parker savours Mae payday

Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker was eyeing more winter Midway Handicaps with All The Way Mae after the Yes Yes Yes filly relished heavy conditions to win at her city debut.

The three-year-old, coming off a class 1 win at home, extended well late under Andrew Adkins up the inside to take out the benchmark 72 over 1100m by a half-length from She Swings and make it three wins in seven starts.

Parker was surprised at the $11 on offer for All The Way Mae, which won on a heavy 10 at Newcastle on debut.

“I’ve always had a huge opinion of her, and she’ll get better as she gets older because she’s only weak and little, but today with only 52kg on her back, she loves the wet, it was the perfect chance,” Parker said. “Geez, I thought they are giving overs here. I got something out of it. Something to feed the children,” he quipped.

Parker bought and syndicated All The Way after she was passed in with a reserve of $40,000 at the Inglis Premier Sale.

Fitzgerald backs up to punch home winner

Apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald recovered from her first boxing bout to take Couples Retreat to a first city victory at Rosehill on Saturday for bosses Annabel and Rob Archibald.

Fitzgerald put the four-year-old mare fifth in the running line during the 1100m benchmark 72 handicap before giving her clear running at the top of the straight on the way to a three-quarter length win over Confidentiality.

Annabel praised the ride of Fitzgerald and said Couples Retreat would likely go to another benchmark race to build towards black-type opportunities.

It added to a memorable 24 hours for Fitzgerald, who had an exhibition boxing match at Canterbury Leagues Club on Friday night as part of a fundraiser for the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation.

“It was awesome, lots of fun and lots of butterflies before it,” Fitzgerald said. “There were heaps of funds raised and lots of donations from people in the racing industry.

“I surprisingly woke up OK, which was good. I couldn’t believe how puffed I was in the last round, but the more I do, the better I will get. I’m going to continue on. The No Quarter Boxing Gym, they are awesome, so I’ll keep going.”