Single Style has not scored a race win in almost 11 months, but trainer Gary Portelli believes that the 2014 Bright Shadow Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday is a winnable race for the talented mare.
Single Style is chasing her first race win since she took out the Rosehill Gardens Handicap in July last year. Photo by: Steve Hart
Single Style started her autumn preparation with a ninth place finish in the Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 22 and performed fairly in the Group 3 Roy Higgins Tribute (1200m) and Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes during the 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival before missing the start when sixth behind Srikandi in the Listed Juanmo Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on May 17.
Portelli said that he was happy with the way that Single Style made up ground late in the Juanmo Stakes and is confident that she can score her second win at Listed level if she jumps cleanly in the 2014 Bright Shadow Handicap this weekend.
“She has drawn seven out of ten and it looks a very winnable race for me,” Portelli said.
“She has done a treat since she has come up here and she was very unlucky first-up at Doomben where she missed the start by four lengths and I thought that she hit the line pretty good.
“Going into a 1200 metre on a big track here at Eagle Farm there is a lot longer straight and we can make up ground if she happens to bundle the start again.
“Hopefully she jumps well and can take up a position where she is not far off the leaders and I reckon that she will be right in the finish.”
Chris Waller-trained She’s Clean is a narrow favourite in 2014 Bright Shadow Handicap betting markets, but has been allocated the top-weight of 59 kilograms by Racing Queensland handicappers.
While concerned about the large weight, Waller said that he was happy with the first-up performance of She’s Clean in the Juanmo Stakes and believes that she will be very tough to beat in the Listed event on Saturday.
“59 kilograms, four kilos more than any other horse, probably suggests that she is the best horse in the race, but I am a little bit concerned about the distance,” Waller said.
“Her first-up run was excellent and she will be very hard to beat.”
She’s Clean is currently available at 2014 Bright Shadow Handicap odds of $3.80 and is a narrow favourite from Discreet ($4.20), Avaladyluck ($5) and Single Style ($5.50).
