Angel Capital has finally shed the Group 1 monkey from his back, securing the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.
Having been beaten into fourth place as the $2.90 favourite in last year’s 1400m race, Angel Capital corrected that wrong under a masterful Ben Melham ride.
Overtaking last year’s Sir Rupert Clarke victor Sepals ($11) in the final 100 metres, Angel Capital ($5) went on to achieve a three-quarter-of-a-length victory.
Regal Award ($9.50), who had set the early pace, finished a long-neck adrift in third.
Angel Capital commenced his career with Clinton McDonald at Cranbourne before being acquired by Yulong and transferred to the care of Chris Waller.
The Waller team had been contemplating a start in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) next Sunday at Caulfield but redirected their attention to Saturday’s race when Angel Capital appeared well-handicapped.
Former champion jockey Darren Beadman, representing the Waller stable, stated it was a relief to finally witness Angel Capital attain Group 1 status.
“He’s been unlucky so many times in Group 1’s,” Beadman remarked. “He’s been deserving of the Group 1 win for so many runs and the way this track panned out today with a good, a strong speed up front, and Ben has the utmost faith in the horse, he rode him to perfection.”
Beadman credited Melham with being instrumental in Angel Capital’s breakthrough Group 1 success.
Melham had done much of the early work with Angel Capital when he was under McDonald’s training.
“He’s shown a lot of faith and confidence in the horse,” Beadman continued. “There wouldn’t be too many jockeys that would have the key to unlock the gift that he’s got, the horse. Benny’s riding in career best form and looks strong and fit.”
Melham had been praising Angel Capital’s capabilities from the very first time he rode the horse.
He rode the now five-year-old gelding to victory in the McKenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley and the Caulfield Guineas Prelude as a three-year-old. However, after Angel Capital transferred to Waller’s yard, Melham had only reunited with him on a few occasions, including Group 1 placings in the C F Orr Stakes and the Newmarket Handicap last season.
“We’ve sort of praised his ability from day dot,” Melham said. “I just knew today that it’s the first time he’s been in a suitable race where I thought everything would go to plan with the right conditions. Then we got here this morning, and they cut the track in half. Honestly, he needs all the track he can get, so I wasn’t too happy about that, but we found a race with good speed. He got into a good rhythm, and obviously Chris is a master at setting these horses for these races. He looked a picture in the yard when I got on him, he gave a little pig root going out on the track and then he just rolled to the barriers beautifully in the zone. The ability’s never been the question with him. He’s a very good colt, as you’ve seen there today, but he’s just so big and he’s such a brute. He’s not an easy horse to ride, but when things go his way, you’ve seen what he can do.”
Get the latest racing odds from top Australian betting sites.