Talented sprinter Rebel Dane will contest a barrier trial over 800 metres at Warwick Farm on Friday morning as he builds towards a return to racing in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 9.
Rebel Dane will contest a barrier trial at Warwick Farm on Friday morning. Photo by: Steve Hart
Rebel Dane was given a brief freshen-up after finishing fourth in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 and seventh in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) during the 2014 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival and according to trainer Gary Portelli is in great condition ahead of his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign.
“He only had a couple of weeks off and he actually put on ten kilos in the fortnight that he had off, which was great,” Portelli told Sky Racing HQ this morning.
“He looks fantastic.”
Rebel Dane will resume in the Missile Stakes before heading to Melbourne where he will chase a second victory at Group 1 level in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30.
There is set to be plenty of talent in the 800 metre barrier trial at Warwick Farm on Friday morning; with leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller including Bull Point, My Kingdom Of Fife, Tougher Than Ever and Trade Commissioner in the acceptances for the trial.
Bull Point joined the Waller stable at the end of his 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign that included disappointing performances in the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) and Group 3 Sebring Stakes (1200m) and Waller has been charged with the task of returning the Fastnet Rock colt to the form that he showed when he finished third in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) and won the Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1200m).
My Kingdom Of Fife will turn ten on August 1, but is set to race on into the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival after returning to the races for the first time in two and a half years during his autumn campaign, which was highlighted by a tenth place finish in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m).
Tougher Than Ever will contest the trial after being scratched from the Winter Stakes (1400m) last weekend, while Trade Commissioner will be making his first public appearance since he took out the Listed Wagga Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) on May 2.
The Waller team will be joined in the barrier trial by talented mare Dear Demi, who has not been seen at the races since she finished eighth in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) a at Royal Randwick on April 19.
Dear Demi failed to fire in the autumn, but was one of the most consistent performers during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival; with the Zabeel mare finishing third in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m), third in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and second in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m).
Auckland Cup runner-up Celtic Prince, injury-plagued Laser Hawk and Joseph Pride-trained Unimpeachable will also contest the seventh barrier trial of the day.
