As a gelding, Kintyre has been competitive and won three of his 17 starts with another seven placings, including wins in the Frank Packer Plate and Queensland Guineas.
“When he came back he was one of the quietest horses in the world and we have seen what he can do,” Portelli said. “He is the poster boy for gelding.
“He has built a great CV, and he has been placed behind some of the best three-year-olds along the way.
“He continues to get stronger and with 50 kilograms in the Epsom he is a great chance.”
Kintyre has had the two runs to prepare for the Epsom, in the Tramway Stakes and Bill Ritchie Handicap, where he was a couple of lengths from the winner and right on the placegetters’ heels.
But Mihalyka points to his weight drop as key to his chances.
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“He had 57 in the Tramway and 54 in the Bill Ritchie and gets down to 50 after running two good races from bad gates,” he said. “I always look for that weight drop in these handicaps and he has a good gate [in seven], which is another bonus.”
Portelli plans to instruct jockey Ceejay Graham, who won the Queensland Guineas on Kintyre, to be positive from the barriers and take up a handy position and then count on his fighting qualities.
“He is going to be in the first four or five from the good gate because I think most big Randwick miles are won from there,” Portelli said.
“He is very tough and will be there all the way. He is the type of horse you want to take to battle because if he sees one coming at him, he just sticks his neck out now.
“He is a different horse these days and with lightweight they will have to beat him.”
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