Race morning drama has struck the Australian Guineas, with Angel Capital, the early favorite, withdrawn due to an unfavourable scope result.
Trainer Clinton McDonald confirmed on Saturday morning that the talented three-year-old showed signs of mucus build-up, prompting the decision to withdraw him from the race. However, McDonald remains optimistic about continuing Angel Capital’s autumn campaign.
“Unfortunately, he had a bit of mucus this morning, so we scoped him and had no choice but to pull him out,” McDonald explained. “He’ll go straight onto treatment, and we expect to have him right again soon, but the Guineas is off the table.”
Expressing his frustration, McDonald added: “I was hoping to avoid bad luck, but here we are. We’ll sit down with Yulong and assess our options. He’s only had one run this prep, so we’ve got flexibility—whether to stay at 1600m or drop back in distance.”
The trainer also hinted at a potential switch to sprinting, noting: “I’ve always thought he’d excel as a sprinter, so we’ll keep that in mind when mapping out his next steps.”
Meanwhile, Sydney’s Randwick meeting has also lost a key contender, with Ceowulf ruled out of the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) after suffering an abrasion to his off-hind leg.
