Portman hoping to make Rum point at the Curragh

Jonathan Portman said it was not too difficult a decision to supplement Rumstar into the Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.

The five-year-old has already enjoyed a successful season, winning the Palace House at the Newmarket Guineas meeting and the Coral Charge at Sandown.

With Portman keen to stick to five furlongs and not enamoured by taking him to Goodwood, he felt there was little to lose by adding him to the Group Two for €12,000.

“It wasn’t that difficult a decision in the end,” said Portman.

“We felt we’d been banging our head against the wall a bit in good company so we’d made a conscious decision not to spend Mr Ward’s (owner) money on entries – but then he goes and runs such a good race like he did at Sandown to give us a bit more faith.

“Whether it is the right thing is another matter entirely. Otherwise there’s just nowhere else to run him, as we’re very keen to keep him at five furlongs.

“He displayed a good turn of foot at Newmarket and again at Sandown. He didn’t disgrace himself at Haydock or Ascot, either.

“He’s come out of Sandown very well, I know it’s only a few weeks, but it’s all about what other options there were and they were very limited. Only the result itself will tell us if we’re being wise or not.”

There was 20 millimetres of overnight rain at the Curragh which will have been very welcome no doubt and that should not worry Rumstar.

“He won at Ascot on soft last October, but it wasn’t as soft as people say it was. He got away with it there. He’d be fine unless it got silly soft,” said Portman.