Less than a length separated stablemates Joliestar, Angel Capital and Lady Shenandoah when they clashed in The Everest, and ahead of their Expressway Stakes showdown, trainer Chris Waller is having difficulty splitting them.
“Joliestar has come back really well. James (McDonald) has been on her in a few pieces of work and her trials and been very happy,” Waller said.
“I don’t know where the ceiling is with Angel Capital, but he is very, very good. That’s what we will find out about him.”
And as for Lady Shenandoah, Waller agrees she might be the forgotten horse after a mixed spring.
“Through bad luck, I guess she is. She had no luck (last campaign),” he said.
While Joliestar and Lady Shenandoah have both proven themselves at the highest level, Angel Capital is still knocking on the Group 1 door.
Luckless in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m), he bumped into an airborne Jimmysstar when runner-up in the CF Orr Stakes (1400m) to round out his spring preparation.
However, Waller is adamant we haven’t seen the best of the four-year-old, who he considers a Group 1 winner in waiting.
“It’s as simple as that,” he said.
“He seems equally effective left-handed or right-handed. He will be ready to go fresh. He’s a big strong horse, a proper horse.”
Waller is loath for the three sprinters to clash again next start and is keeping his options for the trio open, although he is leaning towards a Newmarket Handicap (1200m) raid with Angel Capital while the horse who won that race 12 months ago, Joliestar, is more likely to remain in Sydney for the Canterbury Stakes (1300m).
Pre-post markets had Joliestar a $2.60 top pick for the Expressway Stakes (1200m) on Thursday, ahead of Lady Shenandoah ($3.40) and Angel Capital ($4).
