Clinton McDonald favouring sprint trips with Angel Capital
Just because one horse from a mare can stay, it does not mean its sibling will be the same.
Trainer Clinton McDonald is considering restricting Angel Capital to sprinting trips during the colt’s three-year-old autumn campaign, unlike his five-year-old half-brother Berkeley Square who is adept over a staying trip.
Both horses are from the Teofilo mare Bahamas and have shown considerable promise.
Berkeley Square was a last start winner of the Ballarat Cup (2000m) and was placed at 2600m during the Melbourne Spring Carnival while Angel Capital has not been sighted since finishing sixth in the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in October.
Angel Capital is in the early stages of his preparation for an autumn return and had his first jump-out of the preparation at Cranbourne on Monday.
McDonald said Angel Capital would have another jump-out on January 27 after which he will settle on a return outing for the colt.
He said the Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on February 8 was a potential kick-off point.
“We’ve got a few options but we’re thinking of keeping him to the sprint trips at this stage,” McDonald told RSN.
“We could go to the Rubiton over 1100 (metres) and depending on how he goes there we could go to the $1 million Inglis 3YO down the straight (at Flemington).
“But if he won the Rubiton really well, then we could look at races like the Oakleigh Plate or the Newmarket Handicap.
“So, there are a few options there with him and it will all depend on how well he is going, and which rein we will pull with him.”
Angel Capital is unbeaten fresh, winning on debut at Cranbourne last April and then again in the McKenzie Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley in September.
On both occasions, Angel Capital showed a brilliant burst of speed.
“With that turn of foot he shows, I think a high-speed sprint trip and if he can get the right run and a drag into a race, he could lethal over the last 400 metres,” McDonald said.
“He’s a big powerful colt and he has come back a lot stronger.
“We feel he’s a Group 1 horse, but we have to place him right to get that result.”
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