Trainer Gary Portelli is keen to give American import Eight Eighty Eight a spring campaign but he admits she has to produce some big winter performances to delay her retirement to the broodmare barn.The five-year-old runs in the Ruse Tavern Handicap (1250m) at Canterbury on Thursday at just her fourth start in Australia.Eight Eighty Eight is racing first-up after a disastrous performance at Randwick in March where she finished eight lengths last.The lacklustre run forced stewards to send her bac

Trainer Gary Portelli is keen to give American import Eight Eighty Eight a spring campaign but he admits she has to produce some big winter performances to delay her retirement to the broodmare barn.

The five-year-old runs in the Ruse Tavern Handicap (1250m) at Canterbury on Thursday at just her fourth start in Australia.

Eight Eighty Eight is racing first-up after a disastrous performance at Randwick in March where she finished eight lengths last.

The lacklustre run forced stewards to send her back to the barrier trials with Portelli giving her a couple of hitouts, the most recent a win over 1000 metres at Hawkesbury on June 15.

"The gates opened and she refused to jump and missed the start by eight or 10 lengths," Portelli said of Eight Eighty Eight's last race start.

"When she cooled down our chiropractor thought she was tight through the hamstrings, so we gave her a rest."

At just her second start for Portelli, Eight Eighty Eight defeated Reine De Jeu by a neck to win over 1250 metres at Canterbury on February 13 on a heavy track.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she goes to stud this season but I'm hoping that she hits enough form to warrant giving her a crack at some nice races in the spring," Portelli said.

The surface on Thursday is expected to be heavy again but Portelli would prefer to see the mare on top of the ground.

"Even though she won on a heavy, this horse is chalk and cheese in dry and wet. When it's dry at trackwork she pulls arms out of sockets but when it's wet you're pushing her down the track," Portelli said.

"Based on her trackwork you would think she's not far off stakes company.

"She got up to 1700 metres over there (US) but they are different tactical races. Here you really have to finish your races off and I think she is more of a sprinter."

Despite concerns over the wet track, Portelli says the mare is a definite starter.

"She has to run, we can't leave her in her box and she's as fit as we can have her, hopefully she can show something," Portelli said.