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By Ray Hickson

If trainer Gary Portelli feels leading is Kimochi’s best chance to win Saturday’s Group 1 $750,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill then he’d be more than happy to roll the dice.

Trainer Gary Portelli (Pic: Steve Hart)

The filly has been a model of consistency all season at the top level but hasn’t been able to crack it for a major – she’s a Group 2 winner but has three Group 1 placings for 2023/24.

Portelli said he’s looking for an edge, especially with all the focus on Orchestral and Zardozi, and based on feedback from the jockeys who have been riding her at a mile or thereabouts feels the step up in distance is a plus.

“When she ran in the Flight Stakes, Jason (Collett) said she was flat out at the mile distance and was probably better off over further,’’ Portelli said.

“Craig Williams rode her in the Thousand Guineas and said she just wanted to settle.

“The amount of speed she showed over 1500m the other day why couldn’t she take it up.

“If there’s any horse that’s been more consistent, a three-year-old in Australia at this level, you’ll need to point her out to me.

“She’s a proper Group 1 horse and it’d be lovely to see her get one over and done with. Every horse deserves a Group 1 but she’s worked hard at it.”

Kimochi is set to be sold at the Inglis Broodmare sale and Portelli is unsure whether she’ll race on beyond this preparation.

He said the testing run she had when third against the mares in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) two weeks ago is a good foundation for her first try at a middle distance, at least that’s the theory, and was proud of her performance.

“I was thinking we were in all sorts because she’d had a tough run but she picked herself off the canvas and was having a crack at the winner again,’’ he said.

Zac Lloyd was originally meant to continue his association after the Coolmore but a suspension forced a jockey change and Rachel King has the ride.

Portelli said little can be done to guarantee a horse will handle the 500m jump to a trip they’ve never tried before but feels Kimochi, $9 with TAB on Friday, is up to the task.

“You hope the racing they’ve done has them conditioned and tough enough to run it out,’’ he said.

“We can’t do a lot with them between runs after they’ve had a tough run like in the Coolmore.

“You can’t make them fitter than fit so what you’re relying on is the horse’s ability, the stamina put into them by the pedigree and the preparation you’ve had.

“She’s had a perfect preparation and goes into a 2000m race with plenty of hard runs under her belt and she has racecraft now so you can put her anywhere.”

Kintyre’s half-sister Fireburn was placed in the Vinery Stud Stakes last year so there’s some hope the gelding will cope with the same trip in the Group 2 $300,000 Toyota Forklifts Tulloch Stakes (2000m).

He’s finished third at his past three starts and Portelli hopes the flat spot he hit when third behind Zardozi in the Phar Lap two weeks ago is a sign he’s looking for the trip but concedes it’ll take a gun Jamie Kah ride.

Kimochi runs third in the Coolmore Classic

“The pressure came on at the 600m and the winner went straight past us,’’ Portelli said.

“He ran well, he probably should have run second if we got on our bike a bit earlier. He’s drawn horrendous again and that makes it a bit difficult for us.

“We’ll probably go back a bit and see where he ends up, we’ve got a good jockey on so I’m confident she will find the right way around.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting