Trainer Gary Portelli found reason to smile at Rosehill on Saturday as his promising two-year-old Queen Of Clubs scored an impressive win, capping off a tough week for the stable following the retirement of Kimochi due to injury.

Kimochi was set to run in Saturday’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in Brisbane, but a tendon issue forced her late withdrawal and subsequent retirement from racing.

“It has been a pretty hard twenty-four hours after finding out Kimochi had bowed her tendon yesterday,” Portelli said.

“She will be retired. It’s a pretty decent tear and she is a more valuable broodmare now.”

Despite the disappointment, Portelli’s attention turned to Queen Of Clubs, who showed why he has high hopes for her by taking out the Chandon Handicap (1400m) in fine style.

“We will probably stop and work out a program that will see her in all the big fillies’ races,” Portelli said.

“One door closes and another one opens, and I’ve been saying all along this is my next big thing. Today showed we are heading in the right direction.”

The victory was made even sweeter by the long odds on offer. Ridden by Andrew Calder, Queen Of Clubs started at $31 and produced a powerful surge to defeat Regulated Affair ($4.40) by 1-1/4 lengths, with Gemologist ($21) close behind in third.

“We haven’t stopped backing her since the odds came out, so it has been a good result for everyone,” Portelli said.

For Calder, the win marked his first metropolitan success of the season. Though opportunities have been limited since relocating to Sydney two years ago, the seven-time Group One-winning rider from New Zealand sees real potential in Queen Of Clubs.

“She is very progressive and has a great, big stride on her,” Calder said.

“At the 200 metres, I thought she was just going to get there but then at the 100 metres she really lengthened nicely.

“She is going to make a nice three-year-old filly, that’s for sure.”

Namaste, who jumped as the $4 favourite, faded late to finish seventh after leading early.

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