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Plenty of work has gone into getting the early part of Picaro’s races right and trainer Gary Portelli hopes the fruits of it will show at the finish at Kensington on Wednesday.
Gary Portelli sees the next month as crucial to the five-year-old's earning potential and a midweek win, in a race like the Heineken Handicap (1800m), is an important stepping stone to a shot at Saturday prizemoney before it's out of his range as spring approaches.
Between his first and second-up runs, Portelli sent Picaro back to barrier school and he was encouraged by what he saw last start when the gelding finished a close fourth at Warwick Farm over a mile.
"We have done a bit of barrier education on this horse and we'd expect to be a little bit closer than usual,'' Portelli said.
"He wouldn't come out of the gates, he wouldn't begin. It was like he had something wrong with him.
"We tried a lot of things to loosen him up. We had him at the gates one day with one of my better riders and sooled him out hard, roared at him and chased him, and next start he jumped beautifully.
"We won't be contesting the lead but we won't be spotting them 10."
Picaro, $7.50 with TAB on Tuesday, hasn't won for just over 12 months but that victory was, significantly, over 1800m on the Kensington track on a rain affected surface.
Portelli said it's the perfect race for him to produce the best run of the preparation and, if he does that, to chase a bigger payday.
"We thought he might make a Saturday horse in the winter so the next month is critical for us,'' he said.
"He loves (Kensington), we aimed at this race so we're looking forward to seeing how he goes.
"We'd like to see him get a win midweek then we'd go to 2000m next start and that'd be his go. On the right day he can match it with some handy horses on a Saturday without going over the top."
There's an air of confidence from the trainer that Exceltic has returned from a break in good shape and, if the track is playing in his favour, he's a live chance first-up in the Vinery Stud Handicap (1100m).
Exceltic was a winner on protest fresh last time in, just before Christmas, then raced consistently through to the end of March.
"He's come up well, he's a good horse fresh,'' Portelli said.
"I'm happy with how he trialled and if they do put the speed on, and the track is playing to swoopers, we'd be looking for him to come late."
Portelli produces a trio of two-year-olds early on the Kensington program and among them Snitzel colt Retiro will be looking to make up for lost time in the Admire Mars At Arrowfield Plate (1100m).
The youngster made his debut in the Group 3 Breeders' Plate (1000m), won by Shaquero, back in October but pulled up shinsore from that race then had his autumn ruined by a freak accident.
"When he was due to come back in he jumped onto his own pastern while he was going onto the water walker, it took a long time to heal,'' he said.
"He had to have a long spell to get over it as he had an infection."
Two recent trials have told Portelli that Retiro is in very good shape and has the ability to be a major player first-up.
"He's a magnificent colt and I think he's drawn well, he has a strong rider on and he should run well,'' he said.
Portelli on Bil Colyns (race 1): "He has an action that will suit over ground so rather than give him a second trial I'd rather just go to the races and he'll step straight to 1400m next start."
On Ringarosa (race 2): "Her trial was very good, she was going half pace in behind them. She's a nice filly and will have no trouble with soft ground. With the 3kg off for Ellen (Hennessy) I think she will run well."
