Time To Reign Back on Track for Golden Slipper

Mark Smith - Saturday February 23

Trainer Gary Portelli admitted he was gutted when Time To Reign lost his unbeaten record when out of a place in the Lonhro Plate at Warwick Farm on February 9, but the smile was back on his face when the Time For War colt downed the Golden Slipper favourite Tassort in Saturday's $250,000 Group II Silver Slipper Stakes at Rosehill Gardens.

Caught three wide early, Jason Collett slotted Time To Reign one out in third spot as the speedy Cardiff cut out the early sectionals.

Advertisement

When Cardiff sent out the distress signals at the 300m, Time To Reign pounced. Tassort (Brazen Beau) was back second last and had plenty of ground to make up but his run seemed to level out at the 100 metres and Time To Reign held him by two and a quarter lengths with first-starter Born A Warrior (I Am Invincible) a further three and a quarter lengths back in third. (image Steve Hart)


A winner of his first two starts at Rosehill and Randwick, Time To Reign advances his record to 3 wins from 4 starts with earnings of $309,950.

A half-brother to Portelli's 2017 ATC Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign, Time To Reign is back on track for the Golden Slipper, however, Portelli said it had been a tough two weeks since his defeat.

"I couldn't have been any more deflated (after Warwick Farm), Portelli said.

He was a $1.60 favourite and was expected to win. He did a lot wrong. He is only a young horse and it's amazing how often a two-year-old can do the wrong thing on their home track. They get too brave, they know where they are and try to get it over and done with too quickly. That run probably toughened him up for today.

"I came here today concerned the speed was really going to be on and maybe things wouldn't go to plan

"He got a really bad bump out of the gate and Jason gave him a good dig. The speed was on and he got into a lovely spot.

"I was worried he wasn't travelling comfortably enough to pick up, but gee what a nice horse he is.

"We will stick with the plan and start him in the Todman in two weeks and get that 1200 metres under his belt.

"If it's a heavy track on Slipper day you want them fit so if he pulls up well that's the plan."

The result will be welcomed by Yarraman Park who will offer a full sister to Time For Reign and half-sister to She Will Reign as lot 412 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

Unlike She Will Reign, who was a bargain basement $20,000 yearling for Darby Bloodstock who went on to win over $3 million, Time To Reign was a considerably more expensive $325,000 purchased by Darby Racing/De Burgh Equine/Portelli Racing from the Yarraman Park draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Bred by Gary Bachel, Time To Reign is the third winner from as many foals out of the Charge Forward mare Courgette (pictured) who was a $25,000 Inglis Premier Yearling and was sold by Yarraman to E Thoroughbreds for $2,100,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, a price only topped by the $2.6 million paid for the outstanding Jameka.

Courgette was carrying a colt by I Am Invincible at the time of her sale.

A winner in Sydney, Courgette is a daughter of the unraced Marscay mare Our Farm Girl a sister to Listed Gimcrack Stakes winner Millie and a half-sister to Listed Winter Cup winner Touch Of Sun (Snippets) out of the Group II Reisling Slipper winner and Group 1 AJC Oaks runner-up Sunshine Sally (Cheraw).

Courgette has a yearling filly from the second and final crop of the ill-fated Time For War and a colt foal by I Am Invincible. She was bred back to Snitzel last spring.

Time To Reign becomes the first stakes-winner for the Group II Pago Pago Stakes and Group II BRC Sires' Produce Stakes winner Time For War who died from a suspected colic attack at Kitchwin Hills Stud in December 2016. Kitchwin Hills has purchased an interest in Time To Reign.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Tabitha Ridley-Thomas Joins Magic Millions Bloodstock Team
Australia's leading thoroughbred auctioneer Magic Millions has boosted it's impressive Bloodstock Team with news Tabitha Ridley-Thomas has this week joined the company.
High Hopes for Pencarrow Stud Homebred Farnan Filly
Passiflora will provide her connections with a sound guide at Tauranga as to where she sits in the three-year-old pecking order.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 30
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Karaka Millions and NZB Kiwi Opportunities in Ready to Run Sale
More than ever before, horses bought from the NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka will be eligible to compete for significant prize-money within 18 months of their purchase.
2025 Victoria Derby Pedigree Preview - Who is Bred to Stay?
The Group I VRC Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday is worth a whopping $2 million and the testing trip of 2500m means a lot of horses are not going to see it out strongly and this looks a competitive year with no G1 winners engaged and a full field of up and comers set to do battle, so let’s see what the pedigrees have to say.
Promising Winner for Peltzer
Michael Freedman trained his first winner for Champion Thoroughbreds on Thursday at Wyong and promising Peltzer gelding Sir Loyne won in a manner to suggest there is much more to come.
600k Fantasy World Heads Third Day of Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
FANTASY WORLD was one of three lots to realise 500,000 guineas or more on the third day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale which saw significant increases to the median, average and turnover from the equivalent session in 2024.
Breeding To Win - 2025 $10m Golden Eagle
Racing fans and punters love a good debate, but if there's one thing they tend to unite on, it's the view that the retirement of talented young horses from the racetrack to the stud happens far too early for their liking!
One To Watch – Wyong
With her half-brother Private Eye set to line up in Saturday's $3m ATC Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick, 3yo Shalaa (IRE) filly Confidentiality broke her maiden on Thursday at Wyong at just her second start for trainer Joe Pride.
Third Winner for Time For War
Embattled was the most experienced runner in Sunday’s QTIS 2-Y-O Maiden Plate (1000m) at the Sunshine Coast and it showed – given a positive ride by Luke Tarrant he won by a widening five and a quarter lengths to credit his sire Time For War with his third first-crop winner.