Big race jockey Glen Boss is certain that Rebel Dane is a future Group1 winner after toying with his opposition in taking out the Group 3 $125,000 Show County Quality (1200m) at Warwick Farm today.
Glen Boss and Rebel Dane scoring an easy win in the Show County Quality at Warwick Farm. Photo by Steve Hart.
Melbourne’s leading rider last season, Boss was prepared to bypass today’s Moonee Valley meeting to ride at Warwick Farm and after being beaten a nose on Streama earlier in the day in the Group 2 $175,000 Pro-Ride Warwick Stakes (1400m), was able to justify his trip north.
Boss had earmarked Rebel Dane as a potential Group 1 winner after going down by a nose to champion Pierro in the Group 2 $200,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill in the Autumn.
“That Pierro form is going to stand up for years and years. Whatever runs good behind him for the next two seasons is going to run good in anything,” Boss said.
“He was a beacon horse for me. He was just a horse that I wanted to be on for the Spring.”
“I rode him like a good thing. He was the best horse in the race over this trip and I’m pretty confident that he has a Group 1 in him.”
“He’s got that essential turn of foot that good Group 1 sprinters have and he’s just got the great attitude. He’s a beautiful colt.”
Winning trainer Gary Portelli was relieved after Rebel Dane raced up to his expectations and won like a $2.50 favourite should.
“This is what you do it for. You get up in the morning at three o’clock every morning and you try to find a good horse. And hopefully this bloke is the one we’ve been looking for,” Portelli said.
“We’ve had some nice horses over the years, but this might be something special for us.”
Boss rode a super confident race and had Rebel Dane midfield before letting him stride up to the leaders rounding the home turn before making his winning run down the centre of the track.
From that point on Rebel Dane and Boss had the race well under control and strolled to the line to score by one and a quarter lengths from $31 outsider Title with the Bart and James Cummings trained Norzita ($8) putting in an eye catching run for third.
