Trained by Gary Portelli at Warwick Farm in Sydney, A Gold Trail (5 Ch. G. Hussonet – Trail Of Gold, by Danewin) became the latest Aussie raider to win a group one on New Zealand soil, when taking out the $200,000, Group I, Blandford Lodge Railway Stakes, raced over 1200 metres under open handicap conditions at Ellerslie on January 1.

Recurring, trained by Gerald Ryan, had been the most recent from across the Tasman to win the Railway, in 2005, while Redoute’s Dancer had won the 2007 NZ Derby for Tim Martin and Coniston Bluebird bagged the 2009 Derby for Bede Murray.

Adding to the Australian flavour, Michael Rodd was aboard the winner, while second placed Atapi was guided by Hugh Bowman.

Rodd was in winning form at Ellerslie in January last year when successful aboard The Heckler in the Karaka Million for trainer Murray and Bjorn Baker.

Rodd had given Portelli his first group one success aboard Rena’s Lady in the 2007 AJC Oaks at Randwick, and with A Gold Trail he provided his second.

The riding engagement had been teed up a month earlier by Glenn Morton, who owns A Gold Trail with his wife, Lisa.

Portelli (40) prepares forty horses at Warwick Farm and another ten in Melbourne.

His Grandfather, Jack Carroll was a jockey, while his mother Mauveen Portelli was a horse trainer in Orange, and Portelli has been training on his own account since the age of twenty-one.

Displaying a torrent of early speed to work across from an outside draw, A Gold Trail travelled sweetly at the head of affairs for Rodd, and cuddled up with a three length advantage a furlong out the race looked in safe keeping, but Atapi had other ideas as he flashed home from back in the field to narrow the margin to an ever decreasing short neck at the line.

The pair were clearly dominant in the finish, with Richard Beymer (Volksraad) fighting hard for third, three and a quarter lengths away.

The second Australian representative, Kiloton (Spinning World), finished fourth.

On the good footing, the 1200 metres was cut out in 1:09.34, last 600 metres in 33.72.

While some forward thinkers cashed in on the early quote of $16 from bookmakers on A Gold Trail, he returned a far more prohibitive $5.70 & $2.80 tote price when starting as second favourite.

The favourite Beautiful Girl, who had been in stellar form leading into the race, found the task a bridge too far, finishing seventh.

Portelli said that although his charge lost seven kilos on the trip, he was happy with the way he had settled in the Cambridge stable of Murray and Bjorn Baker.

The stabling connection came through the association of Billie Morton, mother of Glenn Morton, who raced Prized Gem and Nom Du Jeu with the Bakers.

Wrapt with victory, Portelli said, “We had a perfect preparation. He travelled over really well and we were confident the horse was right, but it’s always a worry for him at 1200 metres, so I’m glad it wasn’t another stride.”

Complimentary of the ride by Rodd, Portelli said, “He rode him a treat. He just let him roll and that’s what he’s got to do, let him breathe. He looked after him for a few strides into the straight, then he gapped them and in the last fifty I was looking for everyone to charge, but thank god he held on for the boys.”

“He’s been a horse I thought we might just win a Maiden with and here he is winning a group one.”

Rodd suggested that A Gold Trail would improve immensely for his next assignment, the $1m, Telegraph Handicap (1200m) at Trentham on January 23, as he had only had three trials leading into the Railway.

A Gold Trail has now won seven of his twenty-three starts for $645,075 in prizemoney.