Warwick Farm-based trainer Gary Portelli is set to unleash a pair of Golden Eagle (1500m) hopefuls at Randwick this Saturday.
Both Encap, sired by Capitalist, and Kimochi, by Brave Smash, will kick off their four-year-old campaigns.
Encap, fresh from a recent barrier trial to prepare for the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m), has impressed Portelli.
“He’s come up really quickly and come up really well. If I’d have turned up and trialled him (again) he probably comes out and wins and we go we probably should have raced him,” Portelli said.
“It took a lot to get him fit before and now it’s not so hard.
“He’s run second to Militarize in a Golden Rose so it’s hard to put ones beside their name when you’re racing these horses.
“You’d have to think at Randwick it’s a matter of coming out and being comfortable, we just want to see him hitting the line and we know he’s in for a big prep.”
Meanwhile, Kimochi, carrying the Yulong colours for the first time, will start in the Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1100m) after a recent trial.
“She’s a lot stronger, she definitely has physically improved and we’re pretty keen to see her resume.
“I was planning on starting her on September 14 in the Sheraco but she’s come together too quickly in trackwork.
“It’s only 1100 metres so it’s a nice race to kick off then we’ll go three weeks into the Sheraco.”
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