The barrier draw will determine whether Warwick Farm trainer Gary Portelli attempts a second Group I win in six days in Friday night's William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
Portelli notched his maiden 'major' win when She Will Reign triumphed in last Saturday's Golden Slipper at Rosehill but the stable's elder statesman Rebel Dane will be among the acceptors for the William Reid Stakes.
Rebel Dane holds an entry for Saturday week's Group I TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick. Portelli said he would reserve the seven-year-old for another crack at Australia's best sprinters in the TJ Smith Stakes if Rebel Dane drew poorly in the William Reid Stakes.
Portelli did not rule out running Rebel Dane in both races but said backing up the stallion was unlikely.
"I would contemplate it if he pulled up OK but at this stage, we're going for one or the other but the barrier draw will tell," Portelli.
Rebel Dane hasn't raced since finishing 4-3/4 lengths from Aerovelocity in the Group I Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin in December but Portelli said the son of California took no harm from his Asian excursion.
"When he came home, you wouldn't have known he'd been anywhere," Portelli said. "He's a seasoned old campaigner and took the trip enormous."
Rebel Dane pleased Portelli with his effort when second in a heavy-track trial at Warwick Farm on March 9. The trainer said the sprinter's work last Saturday has him primed for Friday night's assignment, which will be over the same course on which the classy performer won the Group I Manikato Stakes in the spring.
"He galloped on Saturday morning because I always do it a week out with him. He galloped over a half-mile and went 22.4 (seconds) for his last two furlongs (400m) on the Pro-Ride in the driving rain," Portelli said.
"It was a really nice gallop and he went at three-quarter pace over a half-mile again and his regular rider said, 'he's just wanting to go all the time'.
"He's ready."
Golden Slipper-winning rider Ben Melham will ride Rebel Dane if he runs at Moonee Valley but Portelli will need to find a new jockey for the TJ Smith Stakes as Melham has a booking for the Victorian galloper Malaguerra.
