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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Gary Portelli isn’t surprised Flying Trapeze has made it to stakes level as a two-year-old but he’ll admit it’s happened a bit later than he forecast.

Trainer Gary Portelli (Pic: Steve Hart)

With a last start narrow defeat at Listed level two weeks ago in the back pocket, Portelli hopes the colt can keep up the good work in the Agency Real Estate Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Flying Trapeze, $4.60 with TAB on Thursday, kicked off in the first two-year-old race of the season, the Group 3 Breeders’ Plate, but it’s since Portelli has stepped him out in trip that he’s come into his own.

“For us he’s always shown plenty hence starting him in the races I did early on. He showed above average ability but hadn’t worked it out,’’ he said.

“He came back a lot stronger and he’s gone from winning a maiden at Kembla to a stakes placing.

“He’s just a nice horse, I don’t think he’s at this point anywhere near fully furnished. It’s good to see him start to put it together.”

When Flying Trapeze won a 1400m maiden at Kembla Grange last month he ran well over a second faster time, by about seven lengths, than subsequent Group 1 JJ Atkins winner King Colorado who also won a maiden a race later.

Portelli elected not to back up in the Group 1 a week after his close second behind Azula in the Listed Phoenix (1500m) and is quietly confident he can give short-priced favourite Tutta La Vita a run for her money.

“You’d have to think (Tutta La Vita) will improve out of sight from that last run and was probably unlucky it didn’t get the bob in,’’ he said.

“I’m confident but I wonder whether going back to 1400m is a question mark.

“The jock said he was at his top most of the way and that’s probably what told late over the 1500m.

“If they go out quick again it’ll be interesting to see how he travels. I was hoping there would be a mile two-year-old race for him but the JJ Atkins came up too quick and I didn’t want to back him up.”

There aren’t any huge plans for Flying Trapeze at this stage and Portelli will consider whether he presses on this winter after this weekend’s run, wary he’s eligible for the Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) next year.

“The prizemoney is astronomical in these races and I’d like to go through my grades with him if I could then who knows he might go on to a good race,’’ he said.

“He is a Magic Millions horse and there’s January next year which will be here for before we know it.”

Ringarosa has won two of her three starts this preparation and Portelli would be bullish about her chances in the Fujitsu Airstage Handicap (1300m) if not for an awkward barrier.

The four-year-old beat the track pattern when winning at Warwick Farm on May 31 and Portelli hopes there’s enough speed on for Jason Collett to bring her with another late burst.

Flying Trapeze runs second at Eagle Farm on June 3

“I’m filthy she drew a bad gate because if she drew soft she’d be able to take up a more forward position like midfield,’’ he said.

“The way she worked on Tuesday she’s very sharp.

“She can come from behind and by her race we’ll see whether backmarkers can come into it. We’ve got the right man for the job to ride a horse like that.

“If she can relax out the back and the tempo has been solid she should be able to hit the line strong.”

Portelli on Walkin’talkin’ (race 10): “Hard to get a guide on his first run because the track was leaderish. He looked disappointing but I think over 1200m drawn soft he can take up a better position and I think he can run well.”

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