Racing: Workout delights Portelli

Sydney horseman Gary Portelli came a long way to see very little.

Very little in terms of what the public could see of A Gold Trail's gallop between races at Te Rapa yesterday, but literally everything the trainer wanted to see.

It might have been the final piece of fast work for the $1 million Telegraph for the $200,000 Blandford Lodge Railway Stakes winner, but it was merely a stroll in the park for the showy chestnut.

With strapper Brendan Hain in the saddle, A Gold Trail ambled through a solo 1000m in time a lot slower than you'd see raceday, having the speed on for less than 200m in the closing stages.

"That's all I wanted to see," said Portelli as he dashed away from Te Rapa to catch a 4pm flight out of Auckland back to Sydney, having arrived in New Zealand late on Wednesday afternoon.

"I only wanted him to run even time for the 1000m, quickening up only from the furlong.

"I never ask him for much speed between races and he never works in company because he's too competitive.

"He had a good blow and he recovered quickly."

Although it was difficult for anyone but Portelli to gauge a definitive report on A Gold Trail's progress since the Railway victory, he is absolutely delighted that the topline sprinter has put on 3kg since the Ellerslie group one race.

That's the biggest result the Warwick Farm trainer could have hoped for.

Immediately after the Railway, Portelli said: "He lost 7kg on the trip and although he mightn't look like it, he's actually a bit lighter than he usually is for a short-course horse.

"But I can say that if he holds his condition the others had better watch out next time because his fitness will be that much better and he'll give them something to think about."

Portelli said Australian jockey Michael Rodd has confirmed he will be at Trentham to ride A Gold Trail.

"He's riding at the Moonee Valley meeting on the Friday night and flying out to New Zealand on Saturday morning."

Portelli's haste to return to Sydney was to saddle his runners for last night's Canterbury races.

However, the news was not so good at Pukekohe, where Gareth McRae now definitely knows the rollercoaster ride that is horse racing.

The doubts about Accardo running in the Telegraph were originally real, then the horse's soundness improved and he galloped very well at Pukekohe yesterday morning.

The path to the Telegraph, so real in the morning, disappeared when Accardo again showed signs of leg trouble yesterday afternoon.

"He's now officially retired," said a clearly disappointed McRae.

"We thought we had him right again, but it wasn't to be."

The $2.2 million Telecom Derby hopeful Military Move galloped between races yesterday with stayer Six O'Clock News.

The pair finished together after 1000m in 60.9 seconds, the last 600m in 36.12.

The gallop was an exercise for Military Move's trainer Shaune Ritchie in trying the horse in blinkers for the first time and trailing another horse.

"He seemed to settle behind that other horse nicely given it was his first appearance since the 2000 Guineas," said Ritchie.

Military Move was narrowly beaten in the Riccarton feature by Katie Lee and will race next Saturday in the 1600m Wellington Stakes.

Six O'Clock News is preparing for the Auckland Cup on March 10.