Group 1 winning sprinter Rebel Dane returned to the race track with a heart stopping win in the Group 2 $200,000 The Bowermans Office Furniture Shorts (1100m) at Randwick today.

Rebel Dane, red sleeves and red cap, scores a narrow win in the Shorts at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Rebel Dane ($7) was having his first run back after undergoing a wind operation and proved that he is back to his best with half head win over front runner Ball Of Muscle ($4.40) with race favourite Shiraz ($2.50) filling third spot.

The Gary Portelli trained six year old has struggled to find winning form since winning the 2013 Group 1 $400,000 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and is now likely to head back to Melbourne to chase more Group 1 glory during the Spring Carnival.

Ball Of Muscle went straight ot the lead for Tim Clark and had every other runner struggling to make any impact until Brenton Avdulla got to work on Rebel Dane who sustained a long run from the top of the straight.

Even at the 100m it looked as though Ball Of Muscle was going to hang on but Avdulla was able to get everything out of Rebel Dane who lifted right on the line.

Portelli was forced to order a wind operation after Rebel Dane finished eleventh of thirteen in the Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick during the Sydney Autumn Carnival and was relieved he has found the winner’s stall again.

“It was big effort to get him back,” Portelli said.

“Thank God he has come back in great order. He just showed his fighting quality. He didn’t have to win by very far but he knows where to win.”

“I said to Brenton that you have to get going early on him because it takes for ever these days for him to really open up.”

“I wanted him challenging on the turn today if we could, rode him beautifully and I thought that Ball Of Muscle’s race fitness had us at the hundred but he has the heart of a tiger and he knows where the winning post is.”

“I think we might a real big preparation ahead of us.”

Likely Melbourne targets for Rebel Dane are the Group 1 $1m William Hill Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 23 and the Group 1 $1m Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington on November 7.

The Shorts results