A quiet build-up to Saturday's Group Two Royal Sovereign Stakes at Randwick has Delago Bolt exactly where trainer Gary Portelli wants the colt mentally.Delago Bolt is racing first-up in the 1200-metre race after beating just one runner home in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington last October.He raced fiercely just off the speed on that occasion as he did in his last Sydney appearance at Randwick in the Group Three Up And Coming Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last August.Delago Bolt ran
A quiet build-up to Saturday's Group Two Royal Sovereign Stakes at Randwick has Delago Bolt exactly where trainer Gary Portelli wants the colt mentally.
Delago Bolt is racing first-up in the 1200-metre race after beating just one runner home in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington last October.
He raced fiercely just off the speed on that occasion as he did in his last Sydney appearance at Randwick in the Group Three Up And Coming Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last August.
Delago Bolt ran off the track that day and was subsequently forced to trial to the stewards' satisfaction.
"He can get himself all wound up and that's what happened in Sydney last time," Portelli said.
"I've had him a bit too fired up in the past but he's more relaxed now and getting around the turns well and looks on track for this.
"He had a quiet trial the other day, we didn't want to fire him up and he's done very well."
The colt has won two of his 11 starts with his last victory coming in the Listed Black Opal Stakes at Canberra in March last year.
"I was hoping I might have been able to find a restricted three-year-olds' race but I couldn't find the right race," Portelli said.
"I've just thrown him in the deep end but he's matched it with these horses before and if things go to plan he should be right in this race."
The Royal Sovereign has attracted 14 nominations including star colt Manhattan Rain.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained Manhattan Rain won the Group One Sires' Produce (1400m) in which Delago Bolt ran sixth after being checked near the 1200 metres.
Manhattan Rain was third to Phelan Ready a start earlier in the Golden Slipper with Delago Bolt ninth after missing the start and being checked a couple of times in a torrid run.
Apprentice Nathan Berry, who rode the colt in his recent trial when seventh to Dreamscape over 850 metres at Randwick on January 29, has the ride on Saturday.
"Nathan knows it's all about putting him wherever he is comfortable, he's that sort of horse," Portelli said.
"If he's outside the leader or in front so be it but he's got a tendency to walk out of the gates so more than likely he'll be in the second half of the field."
Portelli said the program for Delago Bolt would be defined by Saturday's performance.
"The whole prep we've thought that we would target just below the top colts but we'll know a lot more after this," he said.