Gary Portelli is setting realistic expectations for promising juvenile Queen Of Clubs, who returns to the track at Rosehill on Saturday in the Schweppes Handicap over 1300m.

Although she’s unlikely to land in the winner’s stall this weekend, Portelli is confident the filly will be closing strongly and begin laying the foundation for a spring campaign aimed at middle-distance targets.

“She shows a lot at home,” Portelli said.

“She has finished off well in her trials and is a get-back, run-on type of horse so we won’t be seeing anything different from her this weekend.

“We will work out one or two starts this campaign then stop, come back for the spring and see if she will end up in any of the classic fillies’ races.

“She is by Maurice so I think she’ll get out to 2000-metres the way she gallops.”

The filly showed promise in her two-year-old debut in the Gimcrack Stakes (1000m), followed by a solid run over 1100m before being spelled. A setback in February stalled her campaign, but she now returns in good shape.

“Where she gets to in the run, I don’t care, as long as I see her really lengthening and for her last furlong to be her best one,” Portelli said.

Ash Morgan will pilot Queen Of Clubs from gate five in a compact field of eight.

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