Trainer Clinton Mcdonald and jockey Ben Melham will chase Guineas redemption after Angel Capital’s impressive first-up win at Caulfield.
Success in Saturday’s Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) will lead to Angel Capital running in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 1.
Angel Capital was one of the main fancies for the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) last spring, but did not pull up well following that race when finishing sixth and was sent for a spell.
It proved a good move by McDonald to give Angel Capital an extended spring break and have the colt well-tuned for his first-up assignment on Saturday.
Sent out the $2.70 favourite under Ben Melham, Angel Capital raced to a 1-½ length win from Plymouth ($10) with Evaporate ($3.70) a further 1-¼ lengths away third.
“This time in, after his gallops and after his trials his recovery’s been really good, whereas last time in he was always a little bit suspect,” McDonald said.
“I just think that was maturity and the way that he behaved today, he’s just starting to mature mentally and learn what this game’s about.
“I thought that was a race that showed that the penny’s starting to drop with him.
“He’ll go straight to the Guineas I’d say and then if he ran well there, we’d go to the All-Star Mile then we’d pull up stumps and get him ready for the spring.
“I think he’s a horse that doesn’t need a lot of racing. He’s one of those horses (it’s best to) keep him fresh, keep home well and he’ll do the rest.”
Melham, who has been aboard Angel Capital in his past four starts and who been riding the colt in trackwork, said the three-year-old was more than ready for his return to racing.
He said Angel Capital had filled out and strengthened during his time away from racing and that showed in the way he finished his race off on Saturday.
“He’s a good trainer Clinton, he’s been very patient with him, and we had to work out what direction we went, whether we stayed at a sprint trip or had a crack at the Guineas,” Melham said.
“To me he feels like a miler.
“He’s a horse that can get a bit aggressive, so it was good to see him find a spot although I was hoping they’d go a bit quicker.
“He did a good job to pick himself up from that position and reel them in the way he did.
“I reckon he’ll be pretty hard to beat in the Guineas this time.”
