He’s been racing in elite firm of late and the Gary Portelli-conditioned Kintyre ought to admire the drop again to Group 3 grade within the Spring Stakes at Newcastle this Saturday.
Whilst not measuring up towards the likes of Tom Kitten within the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes final trip, the son of Hallowed Crown had been thereabouts within the Gloaming, Dulcify, Ming Dynasty and Up And Coming Stakes within the 4 runs prior.
Portelli defined his three-year-old gelding had excuses on the latest outing and believes the drop again to the mile will go well with.
“He’s been racing well, got a lot of form around Tom Kitten although his last run was a shocker,” Portelli lamented.
“He had the worst luck potential sitting three deep, blinkers on the primary time, pulling his head off.
“He nonetheless had a crack on the prime of the straight, it seemed like he was attempting to get into it however the early effort instructed.
“I’ve freshened him up, I’ve taken the blinkers off. I don’t assume he appreciated the blinkers final begin.
“Back to the mile and drawn a good gate and he’ll be very competitive.”
Kintyre presently sits on the fifth line of betting at $8 with the unbeaten Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott runner Invincible Spy prime of the market at $4 with on-line bookmakers.
Portelli is of the opinion that Saturday’s contest is a way more achievable task and charges his galloper as a number one hope.
“I think this is a fair drop back in grade, unless there’s something coming through that we don’t know about,” Portelli mentioned.
“But based on exposed form he’s probably the horse to beat.”
Kintyre has proven a liking to the Newcastle circuit with a win and a second from simply two begins there and did end a close-up second within the Group 3 Up And Coming at Rosehill in August. He attracts gate eight for hoop Adam Hyeronimus, who has 5 wins from his previous 30 rides.
There is a bumper ten-race card at Newcastle this weekend, with the $1 million The Hunter being the spotlight on what’s shaping as an ideal standalone assembly.
