Co-trainer Peter Snowden is confident the team has elected the right race for three-year-old Capitalist to return to winning form when he takes on the older sprint stars at Moonee Valley in Friday night’s Manikato Stakes 2016.

Just one three-year-old since Redoute’s Choice (1999) has won the Manikato Stakes with Snowden preparing champion colt Sepoy (2011) for his success five years ago.

Now training in partnership with his son Paul, Snowden is out to do it again this spring saddling-up Golden Slipper winner Capitalist in the $1 million Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m).

The Written Tycoon colt hasn’t won a race since posting his fourth career success back in March in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m).

The form out of the Golden Slipper was subsequently franked by the runner-up Yankee Rose who won the Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) later in the autumn.

The star filly also won the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) earlier this month and travels south on Saturday for a shot at Winx and Hartnell in the $3 million Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m).

Also running in a weight-for-age Group 1 at Moonee Valley on the weekend, Capitalist makes his Melbourne debut from barrier six in the 11-starter Manikato Stakes field.

Only one of his rivals is yet to taste Group 1 glory – Fell Swoop – and the Manikato Stakes betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au have the defending champion Chautauqua installed as the $2.40 favourite.

Capitalist occupies the second line of the Manikato Stakes odds at $7, but has eased out from $5.50.

Last start Chautauqua was trumped by a three-year-old running fourth to the Blue Diamond Stakes winner Extreme Choice in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1100m) at the Valley.

The youngster taking him on this weekend comes via a different lead-up, Capitalist last seen crossing third at Randwick on October 1 behind his undefeated stablemate Russian Revolution in the Group 1 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m).

He has a gun record over the Manikato Stakes distance (4-2-1-1) and runs in the Cox Plate eve feature over a start against his own age at set weights Saturday week down the Flemington straight in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).

“I think it’s the right race for him. All the way along, we’ve looked at the Coolmore and the Manikato, and being a week apart, we had to choose one over the other,” Snowden told Racing Victoria.

“We thought the Manikato might be the right option.”

Snowden is weary of more than just Chautauqua on Friday night however, aware of just how deep the field is with the likes of English ($9.50) and Buffering ($10) also shaping-up as dangers.

“There’s more than just Chautauqua,” he said.

“I’m happy with my bloke. He’s drawn a nice gate. We’ve been there a couple of times for work, and he’s handled it quite well so fingers crossed.”

Capitalist worked at the Moonee Valley circuit during Breakfast With the Best on Tuesday morning and Paul Snowden was pleased with how he handled the tight track where he looked a little fresh, but finished off well.

“His main work was on Thursday and I think it was beneficial for him to come back here [to Moonee Valley] today and familiarise himself with everything and just a bit of maintenance work,” he told Peter Moody on the Ladbrokes Daily Wire.

“Really happy.”

The 2016 Coolmore Stud Stakes could still be called upon for ‘Plan B’ if the predicted rainfall sees a Heavy-rated track at Moonee Valley this weekend.

“I’m not too keen on the weather forecast,” Snowden added.

“If 20mm of rain happens and we got a Slow to Heavy track, he probably wouldn’t take his place as he’s not effective on wet ground.

“You wouldn’t think it now – it’s cool, and with a clear blue sky you wouldn’t think rain would come. Hopefully it doesn’t.

“But in my mind, if we got heavy rain, I wouldn’t run him.”

Capitalist was found out on a Soft (7) track first-up when running fourth as the beaten favourite in the Group 3 San Dominco Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 13.

To back Capitalist to win the Manikato Stakes at the right price head to Ladbrokes.com.au now!