Trainer Gary Portelli is confident that Encap can return to form in Saturday’s $1 million The Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange, despite drawing the wide barrier 19.
Reflecting on the four-year-old gelding’s recent midfield finish in the Golden Eagle (500m), Portelli attributed the performance to unfavourable track conditions and a minor setback.
“We’re not having much luck with these gates, but he’s going to get back anyway,” Portelli said.
“Hopefully it will be a truly run race and, based on his work on Tuesday morning, if he has any luck from that gate, he is going to be right in the finish.”
Encap, who had a heel issue leading into the Golden Eagle, didn’t fully let down on the firm track that day, according to Portelli.
“He’d had a little heel issue that we’d had to work on (before the Golden Eagle), and he just felt the hard track that day as well. While he likes it firm, you could just see he was holding back a bit. Since then, his foot is 110 percent right,” Portelli explained.
With rain falling over the past few days at Kembla Grange, Portelli believes the softer conditions will suit Encap perfectly.
“The track should just have the edge off it, and it will be perfect.”
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