Former Orange trainer and 2017 Golden Slipper winner Gary Portelli will be hoping his three-year-old Showgals will continue her love affair with his former home track this week, and find winning form again in the process.
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Portelli cut his teeth here before moving to the city and will send his filly back to Towac Park for Racing Orange’s Poet’s Day meeting on Friday, the trip coming three weeks after she saluted in the season-opening meet.
That win on October 15 was Showgals’ third career victory, but second from as many starts at Orange’s home of racing.
She followed that with a disappointing seventh finish at Kensington though, although she was caught wide for much of the run and was facing classy opposition.
She’ll drop in class for Friday’s Buckley’s Carpet Court Benchmark 58 Handicap (1000 metres) though and will have celebrated hoop Greg Ryan on board, although she’ll lug 61kg as well.
Portelli’s filly will face the likes of Dean Mirfin’s Jetgirl and Michael Plummer’s Lily’s Little Girl in the eighth and final race of the card, the latter is one of five Orange trainers to accept for the meeting.
The others are Alison Smith, Lee Van Den Bos, Brad Draper and Brian Gentle, while Orange apprentice Katie Jenkinson is booked for five rides.
Gates open at noon, with the first to jump at 1.30pm.