Jockey Kerrin McEvoy is happy with the fitness of his mount in Saturday’s 2016 Missile Stakes Capitalist who will be out to make history with a first-up win in the Randwick feature.
Golden Rose favourite Capitalist resumes racing in Saturday’s 2016 Missile Stakes with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle. Photo: Steve Hart.
No three-year-old has been entered in the race since Dance Hero and Snippetson ran one-two in the 2005 Missile Stakes quinella over a decade ago.
The Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Capitalist will be out to break the drought of youngsters in the weight-for-age showdown on the weekend when this year’s $175,000 Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) kicks off Group racing in Sydney for another season.
Making his three-year-old debut, the Written Tycoon colt has already amassed over $3.5 million in prize money after his stellar juvenile season that saw him win four of his five career starts.
He hit the big time at the Gold Coast in January taking out the lucrative $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) before suffering his only loss to date when runner-up to Kiss And Make Up in Randwick’s Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) in March.
Capitalist quickly atoned when racing at Rosehill Gardens a fortnight later for his half-length win over subsequent ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes winning filly Yankee Rose in the world’s richest race for two-year-olds – the $3.5 million Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m).
That was his last run and he comes into the Missile Stakes on Saturday on the back of two recent Randwick trial wins over 850m in July with McEvoy in the saddle for both winning hit-outs.
“I gave him a good squeeze in the last furlong without going bananas [during a hit-out with El Divino last week],” McEvoy told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“I felt my horse would improve off that trial – as you would expect – going into his fresh run.
“Everything points to the horse being in nice shape.”
McEvoy retains the ride under race conditions on the weekend replacing Blake Shinn in the saddle of the youngster who is heading towards a run in the $1 million Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 10.
Dropping down to just 51.5kg for Saturday’s ride, McEvoy partners Capitalist in the Missile Stakes at the feature weight before Shinn comes back on for the Golden Rose where he’ll chase his first win in the three-years-old Group 1.
“He’s obviously got to go do it and you hope things go your way but he’s a highly rated early season three-year-old and if he has the right luck he’s going to be very hard to toss with 51.5kg on his back,” McEvoy said assessing his mount’s chances in his weight-for-age debut, adding he’d love to get another chance to ride the impressive galloper again over the coming months.
“There’s every chance he might bob up in another weight-for-age race in Melbourne and he will have a light weight again.”
Capitalist has a tough resuming run against the older horses in the Missile Stakes but leads early Golden Rose Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $4.40.
McEvoy enjoyed a Golden Rose win back in 2009 aboard Capitalist’s co-trainer Peter Snowden’s second champion Denman.
Snowden also won in 2008 with Forensics and again in 2012 with Epaulette when head trainer for Darley (now Godolphin) before partnering with his son Paul.
Despite his favouritism in the futures Golden Rose betting markets, Capitalist faces a notable hoodoo heading into the September classic as the reigning Golden Slipper winner.
The past three Slipper winners – Vancouver (2015), Mossfun (2014) and Overreach (2013) – have all failed to win a subsequent race.
To back Capitalist first-up in Saturday’s Missile Stakes and to access the best all-in Golden Rose Stakes odds head to Ladbrokes.com.au now!
