Golden Slipper-winning trainer Gary Portelli has unearthed another promising late-season two-year-old in Sky Command, who has led throughout to score a dominant victory at Randwick.
Like stablemate Royalzel, who posted a stakes success in Melbourne last weekend, Sky Command has been produced at the back-end of the season to stamp herself as a horse of the future.
After winning on debut at Warwick Farm last month, the daughter of Deep Field made the transition to Saturday grade seem effortless, finding the front and controlling the race throughout.
The well-supported Dragonstone ($4.40) made good ground from the back but could not reel in Sky Command ($5.50), who took out Saturday’s Acy Securities Handicap (1100m) by two lengths with Baby Wong ($16) another 1-3/4 lengths away third.
Portelli, who won the 2017 Golden Slipper with She Will Reign, predicts a bright future for Sky Command.
“Today just proved we’ve got a contender on our hands, because sometimes they can do things at trackwork and get you excited and then have no finish, but she was strong right through the line so I’m starting to get a pretty good feel we’ve got a nice horse,” Portelli said.
“She just went out there and galloped by herself really. She didn’t know there were any other horses in the race except for when they started.
“It’s going to be interesting if one does come to her because at this stage, we haven’t seen one good enough.”
Brenton Avdulla has piloted Sky Command to both her wins and like Portelli, he believes she can continue to progress through the grades.
“Usually when they can win on debut, you like to see them go out and do it again because if they can, it’s usually the sign of a good filly,” Avdulla said.
“If she keeps progressing, there’s no reason she can’t develop into a nice little stakes three-year-old.”
Debutant Sir Crackle was sent out favourite after impressing at the barrier trials but he tired after being trapped wide on the speed and finished seventh.
