The 2014 Doomben 10,000 odds of Rebel Dane have lengthened since the barrier draw was conducted on Wednesday and the talented sprinter is set to start the Group 1 event on the third line of betting.
Gary Portelli believes that Rebel Dane will need plenty of luck to win the 2014 Doomben 10,000 this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart
Rebel Dane was a narrow favourite for the Doomben 10,000 earlier in the week, but there has been little support for the California Dane entire after he drew barrier ten and he is now available at a quote of $5.
Trainer Gary Portelli admits that he was less than impressed when he heard of the poor barrier draw and told Racing Ahead that he believes Rebel Dane will need plenty of luck to be any chance in the Doomben 10,000 tomorrow.
“The horse is good, but the trainer is not so good after the barrier draw,” Portelli said.
“It just makes our task a bit more difficult and we are probably going to be behind horses that we didn’t want to be behind from that gate.
“We are going to need a really truly run race now to be any chance of picking them up because I think that realistically for us to give the horse any chance of finishing the race of he is going to have to go back a fair way to get in and get some cover.
“The more you look at it, the more that you can see if we do try to ride a tricky race that it will be difficult.
“I reckon the easy way out is to instruct Glen (Boss) to go all the way back to get in and just hope that the race is run to suit and the track is playing fairly.”
Rebel Dane started his 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival preparation with a strong second in the Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m) on a heavy track at Royal Randwick on April 12 and he was unable to replicate that form in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at the same venue on April 26.
Portelli said that he has been happy with Rebel Dane since his disappointing performance in the All Aged Stakes and feels that he is in excellent condition, but still believes that the four-year-old will need plenty of luck to record his second win at Group 1 level.
“It obviously just stretched him that first-up run, but we had four weeks to try and get everything right and we gave him a barrier trial last week just to try and keep his fitness up,” Portelli said.
“He is spot-on, his blood is perfect, he has travelled well and everything is there to say that he is right to go.
“He is just going to need a lot of luck in running now.
“I’m not sure at this level that you can give them as a big a start at weight-for-age and we are just playing for a bit of luck.”
Portelli is chasing his first win in the Doomben 10,000 after previously missing the placings with Something Anything and Over The Wicket in 2009.
