Eight Bills to give Portelli early win

Monday, 7 May 2012:

Multiple stakes-placed sprinter Eight Bills will have his first start at Caulfield for rookie trainer Troy Portelli who is trying build his own stable under the Portelli Racing banner.

In recent years Troy has been the Melbourne foreman for his Sydney-based brother Gary but is keen to distinguish the Flemington operation from a satellite stable.

Last Friday, A Shade Better who finished fourth at Bendigo, was the first runner in Troy's name and Eight Bills will be his second in Saturday's second heat of the All Victorian Sprint Series (1100m).

"We're trying to gather a bigger client base in Melbourne," Portelli said.

"What I've found since being down here is that Victorians are massively loyal to their own and we want to capitalise on that.

"People seem to think that satellite stables come and go, which has often been the case, but my family is down here and I'm committed to Melbourne.

"I figure if I can show that then maybe it could influence future Melbourne clients."

Eight Bills is one of six horses in training with Portelli who has 11 boxes at Flemington.

His brother trains 35 in Sydney and horses will continue to shuttle between stables to suit their programs.

Portelli said a goal was to make Eight Bills a stakes winner after he went close in Listed races on three previous occasions with seconds in the ATC Canterbury Classic, Straight Six Handicap at Flemington and Mornington's Hareeba Stakes.

Eight Bills was nominated for Saturday's Group One Goodwood (1200m) in Adelaide but the presence of Black Caviar brought an end to the plan while his primary mission, last Wednesday's Listed Wangoom Handicap at Warrnambool, was also called off when the track became too rain affected.

"His owner and breeder Bill Gibbons just loves the Warrnambool carnival and goes down there for the whole week but the weather came up against us so we just decided that faced with a four hour trip and hard run on a heavy track there was no point," Portelli said.

"Saturday's race is our back-up plan but it would be great some bold black type in the pedigree for future offspring as Bill Gibbons owns Eight Bill's dam.

"He is a pretty sound horses and if we space his runs and choose his races correctly he should be able to pick a stakes race for sure."

"Really the weather will determine where we go with him as he doesn't really like soft tracks."

A winner of 23 starts, Eight Bills hasn't raced since finishing fifth to Panipique in the Listed Hoysted Handicap at Flemington on March 3 and is one of 30 entries in Saturday's Caulfield sprint.

Among the nominations are Curtana, Spacecraft, Secret Flyer, Shock Value, Le Remas, and Stratcombe who are all also nominated for The Goodwood.

AAP