Portage primed for Cambridgeshire test

Michael Halford has high hopes Portage can come up trumps as his first runner in the Betfred Cambridgeshire when he takes his chance in the prestigious handicap at Newmarket on Saturday.

Portage warmed up for a crack at the first leg of the 'autumn double' with a good effort to finish second in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh four weeks ago.

The three-year-old colt made a successful foray to Britain at Ascot in July to make amends for being unlucky in running when unplaced in the Britannia Stakes at the Royal meeting.

"He's in good form and ready to go. He'll be my first runner in the Cambridgeshire," said the County Kildare trainer.

"The ground was probably a little against him the last day in the Irish Cambridgeshire. He's been in good form since and the better the ground, the more he'll like it.

"The step up to nine furlongs should suit him. He was a bit unlucky at Royal Ascot, but came good there in July, though the ground was soft."

Portage would be the first Irish-trained winner of this historic contest since Tony Martin's She's Our Mare struck in 1999, while Bronze Angel bids to become the first three time scorer.

Marcus Tregoning reports his commendable six-year-old, triumphant in 2012 and 2014, to be in rude health.

"He's a seriously top-class handicapper," the Whitsbury trainer told At The Races.

"He'll go there with a good chance even though he's much higher in the weights this year and he's got a 4lb penalty for the Doncaster race, but we've Louis Steward still claiming 3lb off him.

"If he goes there in the form he has been in of late, he's really in there with a shout.

"He's more effective in big handicaps. He loves coming through horses and really what he wants is a good, strong gallop which, in a field of 30 runners, is what you get.

"He actually got that sort of gallop at Doncaster. That's the trick to him. He needs a good, strong pace and he loves to come off the pace, through horses and hopefully win."

Abseil makes a belated return to action in the hands of Ryan Moore. Sir Michael Stoute's five-year-old has not been sighted since June, when he finished third in the Investec Mile at Epsom.

Moore said: "He had a little setback but he's more than capable. T he weather will play a part but hopefully he'll run well."

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Khalid Abdullah, said: "He ran a fine race at Epsom. He's had one or two aches and pains but he's been fine and ran a super race in a Listed race at York when he almost got up at the beginning of the year.

"As ever in huge races, everything needs to go right but it's not beyond him."

Charlie Hills will be represented by Forgotten Hero, who finished down the field 12 months ago but was an encouraging second in a decent handicap at Doncaster's St Leger meeting.

Hills said: "I've always thought this race could really suit him. I fancied him quite a bit for it last year but he ran no sort of race for whatever reason. He's going there in better form this time, though.

"We know he stays the trip strongly and what he really wants is a strong gallop. He seems a big price to me, but then you could say that about 20 of them."

My Dream Boat caught the eye when winning by nearly three lengths over a mile at York last month, having previously found the going too brisk on the Newmarket July Course.

Trainer Clive Cox said: "It was pretty lively when he last ran at Newmarket and he showed a real improvement for slightly better ground at York, where he was very impressive.

"He's gone up 9lb, but Ryan Tate takes off a helpful 3lb. I'm pretty confident another furlong shouldn't inconvenience him at all."

County Meath trainer Dermot McLoughlin wants rain for Dragon Fei, who has some good form to her name and will be ridden by 5lb claimer Edward Greatrex.

A heavy-ground winner at the Curragh in May, the five-year-old mare also gave subsequent Ribblesdale Stakes winner Curvy a good run for her money a few weeks later at Navan.

"The key to her is the ground. All of her best runs have been in soft or heavy ground, so we don't want it to get quick," said McLoughlin.

"She's well in at the weights, has a good draw (stall nine) and Edward's claim will help. If she gets her ground, she looks a decent price."