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.
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.
