She was only a $30,000 Inglis Classic yearling purchase, but the Gary Portelli-trained Arctic Thunder ($5.50) has continued to put cheques in the bank for connections with a fast-finishing victory at Rosehill Gardens.
The Headwater mare was too strong on the line defeating race favourite And We Danced ($2.80F) by a long neck with Saigon ($4.20) a further three quarters of a length back in third.
The win now takes the bargain buy’s record to seven wins and five placings from 18 starts and over $250,000 in earnings. She is also building up a love affair with the Rosehill Gardens surface with two wins and a second from just three outings.
Trainer Portelli was full of praise for the steer of hoop Jason Collett, who managed to correct her action when unbalanced in the home straight.
“It’s funny, she came to the corner and she was on the off-side leg, the leading leg, and she was struggling a little bit,” Portelli said.
“I saw Jason pull the stick over the left hand and give her a couple to straighten up.
“I still didn’t think she was going to catch that horse in front and she had to get on the new leg, and as soon as she did that she charged to the line and got there in time.”
Portelli was complimentary of the prize money on offer, that gives his owners a chance to recoup their investment.
“She was a ($30,000) horse and she’s won $250,000 now,” Portelli said.
“There’s no better place than Sydney to own a race horse, the prize money is enormous.
“$61,000 jumps in and the Magic Millions are on next week.”
After failing on a Good 4 at Randwick three weeks ago, Portelli was keen to see how Arctic Thunder would handle the softer going.
“She didn’t like the firm track last start at all,” Portelli said.
“Tommy (Berry) said she felt sore and wasn’t stretching out on it.
“We got the rain and all I was worried about was if that run at Randwick said there was a problem, so we had to see that effort today.”
Jockey Jason Collett was also of the belief that Arctic Thunder performs better with the sting out of the ground.
“The smaller field and softer ground probably helped her today, and obviously she’s fitter too,” Collett said.
