Cover image courtesy of Racing NSW
Randwick will host the 2025 edition of the G1 Australian Oaks as a field of talented staying fillies take to the turf in pursuit of Group 1 glory. For Verona Rose it is a race that she has been targeted for, since she was purchased as a yearling.
First impressions
The filly wasn’t an overly big yearling, and with her sire Castelvecchio’s first crop only just hitting the market, he wasn’t as hot as he is now. That opened the door for Gary Portelli to secure Verona Rose (Castevecchio) for just $40,000 at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
“She was slightly immature as a yearling, but she was a good enough type, good hindquarter, nice length of hip, and overall a nice enough filly,” Portelli said,
Portelli believes a major factor in securing her for such a bargain was the market’s hesitation around Castelvecchio, who was an unproven stallion at the time.
Verona Rose as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“When a stallion isn’t seen as a natural 2-year-old producing type, or not seen as hot property with their first progeny at the sales, they can be in trouble, and Castelvecchio was unknown at that stage,” he said.
“She was bred to stay, and the timing with the stallion worked for me in terms of getting her at that price — look at the stallion now!
“It’s funny how it works. There were millions being spent at the Easter sales last week and any of them would be lucky to get a horse as half as good as she is, and she cost $40,000.”
Castelvecchio | Standing at Arrowfield
Portelli certainly has a proven eye for finding value fillies and turning them into Group 1 performers and it looks like this filly could be the next one. Kimochi (Brave Smash {Jpn}) was picked up for just $21,000 from the 2021 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, while Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain) cost only $20,000 at the 2016 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. Fireburn (Rebel Dane) was bred from Mull Over (So You Think {NZ}) who cost Laurel Oak Bloodstock only $22,000 before they bred the G1 Golden Slipper and G1 Sires' Produce Stakes winner who was trained by Portelli.
Early promise, if not instant promise
When asked if the filly showed much early promise, Portelli said, “She kept on developing and maturing, and we earmarked her as smart quite early on. But in her first couple of preparations she struggled.
“But all of a sudden her trackwork started to get better and then she was galloping with our better horses and beating them.
“She (Verona Rose) kept on developing and maturing, and we earmarked her as smart quite early on.” - Gary Portelli
“One day she beat Kintyre before she had even raced and we thought she goes real good, as she was bred to stay and was working very well.”
She soon transferred that early promise to the racetrack, winning her maiden at Kembla Grange in impressive fashion over 1300 metres in November last year. Portelli described the effort simply, “She bolted in.”
Proving that was no fluke, she backed it up with a strong win at Wyong in benchmark 64 grade, before stepping up to Group level and taking out the G3 Kembla Grange Classic in dominant style, storming home from the back in the field to defeat Inevitable Truth (Fastnet Rock) and Brigidine Gal (Al Maher).
Verona Rose winning at Wyong | Image courtesy of Wyong Race Club
Most recently, she ran a gallant fourth in the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes. Although beaten 3.34l by Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express), the performance was full of merit after settling well back and finishing strongly — an ideal trial for the Oaks, with every indication that the extra 400 metres will be right up her alley.
An Oaks filly from the start
Portelli believes his patient approach has paid off, and may continue to do so, as a filly he identified early as his Oaks contender gets her chance to prove it in Saturday’s $1 million G1 Australian Oaks.
Portelli said, “She has had the perfect preparation for her Grand Final (The Oaks); we just have to hope that a bad barrier doesn't ruin it."
Verona Rose has unfortunately drawn 10 of 10 in the Oaks on Saturday which Portelli describes as potentially could make it tough, “The barrier means we get dealt to, they deal to you in terms of where she ends up in a way.
Gary Portelli | Image courtesy of Portelli Racing
“It is a really tricky one. If we decide to try and push forward and we don’t get in, we compromise our hopes of running top three or four in a big Group 1 race.
“I think we just have to leave it up to Kerrin, and he will ride her as he sees fit. One thing is, she is a very adaptable filly. You can put her wherever you want, and she settles well.”
“One thing is, she (Verona Rose) is a very adaptable filly. You can put her wherever you want, and she settles well.” - Gary Portelli
When asked if the Oaks would mark the end of her 3-year-old campaign, Portelli didn’t rule out a potential Queensland trip.
“We may end up going to Queensland. We definitely haven’t got to the bottom of her yet and we have looked after her.
“I’m a big believer that if they are stayers, and they are bred to be stayers, they can come through a 2400-metre race better or easier than a sprinter that is at their top throughout over 1200 metres. The stayers can get into their rhythm and can pull through their runs better.
“She is a lovely rhythm horse, but we will get through this run and see from there.”
Does her pedigree scream Oaks filly?
Verona Rose boasts a classic staying pedigree and, by blood, looks every inch an Oaks filly. Her sire was a Group 1 winner over 2000 metres and is a grandson of the great High Chaparral (Ire), and out of the French-bred mare Minamya (Fr) (Makfi {GB}).
With her broodmare sire being Makfi (GB), it brings in another classic influence, during Makfi’'s time at Westbury Stud in New Zealand, he sired two G1 Australian Oaks winners in Bonneval (NZ) and Sofia Rosa (NZ), underlining his influence as a source of stamina-laden fillies.
Although Castelvecchio was sharp enough as a juvenile—winning the R. Listed Inglis Millennium and then the G1 Champagne Stakes over a mile—he truly came into his own as a 3-year-old, claiming the G1 Rosehill Guineas over 2000 metres and finishing runner-up in both the G1 WS Cox Plate and the G1 Spring Champion Stakes before retiring to stud.
He is by Dundeel (NZ), a top-class stayer who captured the G1 Australian Derby among his six Group 1 victories. Yet Dundeel also had a turn of foot, winning over 1200 metres on debut as a juvenile, a trait he passed on to Castelvecchio.
Dundeel (NZ) | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
From his first crop, Castelvecchio has already sired five stakes winners, including the brilliant G1 Australian Derby winner Aeliana and G1 Spring Champion Stakes winner El Castello. With a Classic winner over 2400 metres already on the board and another G1 winner over 2000 metres that started favourite in a G1 Victoria Derby, he is shaping as a stallion of serious staying substance and upward trajectory.
On the dam’s side, it’s all European stamina with a touch of class. Verona Rose’s dam Minamya was a winner over 1900 metres and is a half-sister to Mila (Fr) (Cape Cross {Ire}), who scored over 2400 and 2500 metres, including the Listed Prix de Thiberville.
Her granddam Minatlya (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) was a winner of the G3 Prix de Royaumont and the Listed Prix Caravelle, scoring three times between 2000 and 2400 metres. She is a full sister to Manighar (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}), an exceptional racehorse in both France and Australia who won 10 times from 1600 to 3000 metres. His resume features Group 1 victories in the BMW Stakes, Australian Cup, and Ranvet Stakes, along with successes in the G2 Prix Chaudenay, G3 Carlyon Cup, and Listed Prix Michel Houyvet.
Manighar (Fr) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
With that kind of staying blood pulsing through her veins, Verona Rose looks bred to run a strong mile and a half—and possibly beyond as an older mare.
Portelli's respect for the opposition
Treasurethe Moment looks to have an early mortgage on the race, arriving at Randwick on a remarkable seven-race winning streak that includes three Group 2 victories and a pair of Group 1 triumphs.
If she was going to be vulnerable, it may have been last start—her first time racing right-handed and on a Heavy-rated track (later upgraded). Yet even under those conditions, she was once again dominant, stamping her class and confirming her status as the filly to beat.
Treasurethe Moment | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
When asked about the odds-on favourite, Verona Rose’s trainer Gary Portelli didn’t mince words.
“She speaks for herself, doesn’t she? She is a very good filly,” he said.
“She (Verona Rose) speaks for herself, doesn’t she? She is a very good filly.” - Gary Portelli
“As soon as she drew that barrier, it made it tougher—and even tougher for our filly drawing wide. She looks very hard to beat, and there’s no doubt the rest of us are all aiming up at that horse.”
Portelli also acknowledged the challenge facing jockey Kerrin McEvoy from a wide gate, summing up the task with trademark honesty and humour.
“Going into that first corner, we’ll know whether we want to watch the rest of the race—or if we should turn around, grab a beer, and forget it all happened.”
“Going into that first corner, we’ll know whether we want to watch the rest of the race—or if we should turn around, grab a beer, and forget it all happened.” - Gary Portelli
It is not only the red-hot favourite that has a chance, the Kiwi super filly and now Chris Waller-trained Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) has a picketform winning fence line like Treasure Themoment, and won the G1 New Zealand Oaks last start, Dubai Goldrush (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) pushed her close last time and crosses the Tasman to hunt for victory, and the last start Group 3-winning three-quarter-sister to the Champion Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), in Belle Detelle (Zed {NZ}) has plenty of merit stepping up to 2400 metres.
