Although Gary Portelli's focus on Friday will be his two runners at Racing Orange's TLE & Hometech Ladies and Tradies Day, the 2017 Golden Slipper champion will be breathing a sigh of relief he hedged his bets for Kembla Grange on Saturday.
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Portelli, who cut his teeth at the Orange track before moving to Warwick Farm, has accepted with three runners for Friday's meet, while he was forced to shift to a plan B with stable warhorse Testashadow the following day.
Primed for his 61st start Testashadow, with more than $1.4 million in prizemoney to his name, was being prepared for the inaugural The Gong (1600 metres) at Kembla Grange on Saturday, but Portelli was sweating on a good barrier draw for the $1 million run.
He didn't get it, drawing wide in gate 16, but fortunately Portelli had accepted with him for the Abax Contracting Benchmark 88 Handicap (1600m) as a back-up and the eight-time career winner jagged the inside lane there.
Going from a $1 million purse to $125,000 is a massive step down but it's important he has another run to continue a strong preparation so far, last start Testashadow ran fourth at Hawkesbury and 'his work was good on Tuesday'.
Portelli also had Strome among The Gong entries but said the in-form mare - a dominant winner at Newcastle last Saturday - won't run at Kembla Grange.
Testashadow, a bargain buy for connections at just $60,000, will carry the top weight in the benchmark 88, not the case for Portelli at Towac on Friday.
Quite the opposite in fact, for one runner at least.
She's Smart will lug the lightest load in the of 56.5 kilograms in the Epiroc Maiden Handicap (1000 metres).
Zounate will carry the top weight in the Angullong Wines Maiden Plate (1280m), with a strong, seven-runner field set to chase that $11,200 winner's cheque.
Portelli's third Orange chance runs in the sixth, with Mowanjum to jump from barrier eight in the DVM Embroidery Maiden Handicap (1600m).
Mowanjum will take on a pair of Dubbo hopes in Darren Hyde's Dynamic Moss and the Connie Greig-trained Rusty Ginger Meggs.
There are a handful of other Dubbo hopes in action throughout the day.
Kody Nestor will saddle up Dad's Boy and Five Star Gal, Garry Lunn will be represented by Nightspun and The Flying Scot, Clint Lundholm will have Rufio and Carinda Road in action, and Zoutenant will race for Dar Lunn.
Gates open at Towac Park on Friday at noon, with the first to jump at 1.25pm.