DELAGO DOES THE BOLT

The Gary Portelli trained, Delago Bolt – rated one of the season’s best 2YOs by Timeform – burst into spring calculations with a solid barrier trial victory at Randwick on Monday (20 July).

Off the scene since his commendable performance in the AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes-G1 in April, the Listed Black Opal Stakes winner was too strong in the 740m trial, winning in the second fastest heat of the morning.

An elated Portelli was quietly confident Delago Bolt was on target for Group One success in the spring.

“It was a pretty good effort in the trial : the distance certainly didn’t suit him and he’ll improve out of sight with that run under his belt,” Portelli enthused.

“There are a number of options for the horse: we might run him in the weight for age Missile Stakes-G3 on 1 August, the San Domenico-G3 (8 August) or Up and Coming-G3 (22 August).

“The (Group One) Golden Rose on 29 August is also an option, but if he gets the distance – and there’s every likelihood he will – his main mission is the Group One Caulfield Guineas on 10 October.

“The owners knocked back a huge offer for Delago Bolt recently as we believe this horse has the ability to succeed at racing’s most elite level.”

It would certainly come as no surprise to see Portelli’s rising star ‘bolting’ at the business end of 1600m.
Delago Bolt’s sire, Delago Brom won the Australian Guineas-G1 and finished second in the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes-G1, while his progeny include Group Two Autumn Classic (1800m) winner Brom Brom (a recent winner in Hong Kong), plus Blue Diamond Preview-LR and Macau Derby-G1 runnerup, Classic Brom.

The most successful sire son of Champion Sire, Encosta de Lago, Delago Brom’s sons and daughters are, in fact, highly adaptable with a host of winners in Australia complemented by the likes of last week’s Singapore debut winner Day of Empire.

According to expat trainer Michael Freedman, the Delago Brom 3YO will “get better over further. He should be able to see the mile and he looks to be a horse for the future.”

Black Opal Stakes-LR winner Delago Bolt