Prior to yesterday's Canberra Cup barrier draw the Gary Portelli stable was ''hugely confident'' Aristocratico would win the race.
The confidence levels slipped significantly when the number 16 came out alongside the galloper's name.
While Aristocratico, one of the favourites for Sunday's $200,000 feature, fared poorly at the draw, plenty of owners were smiling after the ballot.
Equal favourites Emotional Outburst and Spinney drew ideally in gates one and four respectively while Wagga Cup winner Macknuckle came up with barrier two.
Victorian visitor Down Under Boy wasn't so fortunate, drawing the outside gate 18.
Despite yesterday's bad luck, Aristocratico will enter the Canberra Cup (2000m) race with arguably the best form of any other runner in the race.
The five-year-old has won his past three starts, all in Saturday-class races in Sydney.
The first came in a ratings 80 handicap (1900m) at Rosehill last month before backing up for another win in a ratings 81 handicap (2000m) seven days later at the Randwick racecourse.
Aristocratico earned himself a Canberra Cup start with a hard-fought victory in a ratings 90 handicap (1800m) at Rosehill six days ago.
With Gary Portelli holidaying in America, stable foreman Troy Portelli has been calling the shots.
Troy couldn't be happier with Aristocratico's progress but was wary about the awkward draw.
''Once you start drawing away from eight or nine it's always a concern,'' he said.
''You've got to use up so much more gas to get into your preferred position, and preferably we don't want to use any gas because he is going up in grade.
''It is a big concern but if he flies the gates well and can get a nice position then we should hopefully be OK.''
The Portelli's had no intention of running Aristocratico in the Canberra Cup until three weeks ago.
Before his current preparation, the son of Beautiful Crown had been struggling for form.
He'd won three of his 24 starts and was battling to get near the winners in mid-week races and at the provincials. But with what Troy Portelli described as ''natural improvement'', Aristocratico has developed into one of Sydney's most consistent stayers.
''In a way I suppose we have been surprised with what he's done this time around but realistically horses do improve after each preparation generally,'' he said.
''We might find he doesn't improve after this prep, who knows, but while he's going so well and a race like the Canberra Cup is available, you'd be crazy not to have a crack at it.''
The Portelli stable will have one other runner on Sunday Typhoon Fury in a maiden plate (1200m).
The four-year-old son of Hurricane Sky remains winless after 13 starts but the stable was confident he could finally break his run of outs.
SUNDAY
Canberra Cup race meeting, Thoroughbred Park. Race 1 of eight races starts at 1.12pm. The Canberra Cup, race six, starts at 4.12pm
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