Trainer Clinton Mcdonald is hoping to strike while the tracks are dry and intends to keep Angel Capital to a three-run autumn campaign.
That campaign kicks off in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
McDonald said depending on the colt’s performance on Saturday, the Group 1 Futurity Stakes over Saturday’s course and distance on February 22 will come under consideration, although a jump-out was more likely ahead of Angel Capital’s main target, the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 1.
Success in the Australian Guineas would then secure Angel Capital a spot in the Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington on March 8.
Angel Capital has not raced since finishing sixth to Private Life in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) last October where a post-race blood test indicated not all was right.
“He had a bit of a dirty blood, it wasn’t bad, but it was enough to maybe say he’d come to the end (of his prep) and he ran like that as well,” McDonald said.
“Plus, the sticky track. It was a track you couldn’t get back on and make ground. It just wasn’t aligned for him on the day.
“He went straight to the paddock and had a really good spell.
“I think he hadn’t had a spell since Cranbourne to the Guineas. He only had two weeks off between the Queensland campaign and then getting ready for the spring.”
Ben Melham takes the ride on Saturday and McDonald said he was adamant Angel Capital will get the 1600m of the Guineas and All-Star Mile.
“I’m always of the theory we’ve had a go, and he hasn’t succeeded,” McDonald said.
“There’s no reason he wouldn’t get 1600 metres on his pedigree. His mother was running over 2400 metres, and his half-brother (Berkeley Square) won the Ballarat Cup,” McDonald said.
McDonald said Angel Capital had blossomed during his break and was now a massive horse.
He said another break after a short autumn campaign would see Angel Capital develop further.
“He wants the track to be like a road, as he dislikes wet tracks, so I said to the owners, let’s look at three runs down here and then go to the paddock,” McDonald said.
“I thought about the Doncaster with a light weight but then if you set him for the race and you get a wet track, you’d be sick.”
