Capitalist knocked out a Golden Slipper field but that hasn’t dampened Star Turn’s trainers’ appetite for a re-match.
The two have not raced since the Slipper at Rosehill in March and are set to return to the scene of their only showdown in the Group Three San Domenico Stakes (1100m) on Saturday.
Co-trainer Michael Hawkes said Star Turn was a bigger and stronger horse than when he last met Capitalist and finished sixth.
“He’s grown up a lot more and he’s probably a lot more mentally mature this time around,” Hawkes said.
“We’ve obviously improved – as Capitalist no doubt has as well – so it’s going to be a good race.”
Star Turn has drawn the widest barrier but with only six runners, but that doesn’t worry Hawkes.
“How he jumps is how we’ll ride him,” he said.
“Smaller fields do become a bit more tactical but obviously Capitalist is the horse to beat.”
Capitalist has drawn barrier four and co-trainer Peter Snowden said on Wednesday tactics would be worked out closer to race day.
The Golden Slipper winner is $1.60 to become only the third horse in a decade to win the world’s richest two-year-old race and return to the track a winner in the spring.
Star Turn finished a little more than three lengths behind Capitalist in the Slipper after running fifth in the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield.
“He’s always had the ability,” Hawkes said.
“He’s run in the Diamond and a Slipper. You don’t run in those races unless you’ve got above average ability.”
All stables with top-line two-year-olds face the unknown of gauging whether they have taken the next step at the start of their three-year-old spring.
The colt has won two trials in the lead-up to Saturday and Hawkes says he is primed for the race but hasn’t made any plans about where he will race after Saturday.
Star Turn is the $4.20 second pick to win the San Domenico with the Gerald Ryan-trained colt Tango Rain rated a $6 chance.
