Midweek miss could prove a boon for Dio D’Oro

Gary Portelli was disappointed when officials called off the midweek meeting at Warwick Farm over a COVID-19 scare, but not because he disagreed with their decision.

Portelli figured he had found the perfect race for wet-track specialist Dio D’Oro, who despite his consistency has struggled to win since stringing together three successive victories as a two-year-old.

“I actually thought he was a certainty at Warwick Farm in that 1400-metre race and I was more disappointed they called it off for his sake,” Portelli said.

“With the track conditions we were going to get, home track 1400, I just thought it was a matter of sit and steer and he would have won.

“He has to go into a Saturday race now and it’s a little bit harder, but the track brings him right into it with a light weight.”

In lieu of the midweek fixture, Dio D’Oro will head to Randwick’s Kensington track on Saturday for the Sky Racing Active Handicap (1400m).

He faces some tough opposition including top weight Man Of Peace and Godolphin’s last-start winner Handspun but he does relish heavy ground, managing seven top-three finishes in 11 starts in the conditions.

He drops significantly in weight to 52kg and was doing his best work late over 1200 metres last start to finish fifth in a leader-dominated race.

The Kensington circuit was rated in the heavy range on Friday.