Angel Capital will make an early return in the opening stakes race of the Sydney season as he prepares for a potentially career-defining campaign. Trainer Chris Waller confirmed the five-year-old would be nominated for the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick next Saturday and, at this stage, his intention was to run.
Waller's plan for a Group 1 tilt
“Angel Capital will run next week in the Missile, then he can go second up into a Group One. The Memsie or the Winx Stakes,” Waller said.
Waller believes the set weights and penalties conditions of the Missile suit his horse, who has speed on his side. “He’s well suited at the set weights and penalties, where the others probably aren’t, and he’s got a bit more speed. (A horse like) Autumn Glow gets too much weight.”
The trainer also reported the gelding has returned in top shape. “He’s come back well. Mentally he’s great. There’s no reason why he can’t keep going for another year.”
Chasing an elusive Group 1 win
A three-time placegetter at the highest level, including runner-up to Jigsaw in the William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in March, Angel Capital is being set a mission to secure his first Group 1 victory this spring.
Owned by Yulong, the horse is a valuable stallion proposition and ticking that final box will cement his future at stud. By getting an early run on the board in the Missile, Waller is showing his intent to give Angel Capital a genuine Group 1 opportunity second-up.
“He’s a horse that needs to be rock-hard fit second-up at 1400 and he could win a Group 1,” he said. Angel Capital is likely to be Waller’s only Missile Stakes runner.
Napoleonic looms as a rival
Doomben 10,000 placegetter Napoleonic from the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton stable is also expected to make his return in the race, proving a worthy rival off the back of two strong barrier trials.
