Trainer sold on the home breed

4 min read
Gary Portelli is an unabashed admirer of Australian-bred and raced stallions and the benefits of buying their young stock are serving his Sydney operation so well.

The Warwick Farm trainer’s approach paid a massive dividend two years ago when he produced the champion 2-year-old filly She Will Reign to claim top honours in the G1 Golden Slipper S.

Her sire Manhattan Rain was the winner of the G1 AJC Sires’ Produce S. and finished runner-up in the G1 Cox Plate.

“I’ve found owners really like to buy into young horses by stallions that they have seen running around their own back yard,” Portelli said.

“I’ve had a lot of luck with Australian stallions that have showed speed and precocity and they are a lot easier sell to prospective buyers.” – Gary Portelli.

“I’ve had a lot of luck with Australian stallions that have showed speed and precocity and they are a lot easier sell to prospective buyers.”

Trainer, Gary Portelli

Portelli continued that approach at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale where he purchased colts by second season sires Dissident and Wandjina.

He went to $260,000 to secure a son of Dissident out of the draft of Newgate Farm, who stands the five-time Group 1 winner and former Australian Horse of the Year.

The chestnut colt is out of Headsup (NZ) (Thorn Park), who won five times and was a multiple black type placegetter. The pedigree page also features the triple Group 3 winner Espiare (NZ) (Licorice Stick, who produced the G2 Sunline S. winner Spurn (Flying Spur).

Lot 644 Dissident x Headsup (NZ)

Portelli’s drive to purchase the youngster was also fuelled by a son of the stallion already in his stable.

“I’ve got a very good one called Disruptor and that gave me the confidence to go after this colt. I wasn’t going to go home without him.” – Gary Portelli.

“I’ve got a very good one called Disruptor and that gave me the confidence to go after this colt. I wasn’t going to go home without him,” he said.

“He’s a really nice horse and obviously comes from a very reputable stud.”

From an outstanding Group 1 family that features More Joyous (More Than Ready {USA}), Secret Agenda (Not A Single Doubt), Sterling City (Nadeem), Bentley Biscuit (Peintre Celebre {USA}) and Kementari (Lonhro), Disruptor finished runner-up at Randwick in his only start to date.

“He’s a Group horse all day long.” – Gary Portelli.

“He’s a Group horse all day long. He was held up badly and when he was into the clear the winner was off and gone,” Portelli said.

“I’ve tipped him out now and he’ll be back for the autumn carnival and maybe Queensland. He’s bred to get up to a mile.”

Dissident was recently represented by his first winner when Louis Luck was successful at Trentham and that victory has gained him a berth in New Zealand’s richest juvenile event, the Karaka Million to be run at Ellerslie on Saturday week.

Dissident was represented by 21 yearlings at the Gold Coast and they sold for $2,655,000 at an average of $126,429 and a top price of $300,000.

Fan of Wandjina

Portelli is also keen on Dissident’s associate sire Wandjina, winner of the G1 Australian Guineas.

“I’ve won barrier trials with them and they’re pretty handy,” he said.

Portelli paid $115,000 for a Wandjina colt from the consignment of Mane Lodge with the youngster out of Bloodline (Dracula) and a half-brother to the G1 Goodwood H. and G1 Robert Sangster Classic winner Platelet (Strategic).

Lot 408 Wandjina x Bloodline

Wandjina had nine yearlings go through the Gold Coast ring and they sold for $1,135,000 at an average of $126,111 and a top price of $300,000.

“I’ve already had a lot of phone calls about the Dissident and the Wandjina.” – Gary Portelli.

“I’ve already had a lot of phone calls about the Dissident and the Wandjina. And an Exosphere I bought was sold within an hour,” Portelli said.

Purchased from Rushton Park for $60,000, the Exopshere colt is out of the winning Charge Forward mare Star Charge and is a grandson of the stakes winner Julietiquette (USA) (Flying Continental {USA}).

Lot 175 Exosphere x Star Charge

Exosphere continues Portelli’s liking of home-bred stallions as the G1 Golden Rose S. winner and he was also successful a further three times at Group 2 level.