Co-trainer Peter Snowden is on weather watch and won’t start Golden Slipper winner Capitalist in the Group 1 $1m Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night if the track is downgraded into the slow or heavy range.
Capitalist, above, is a doubtful starter in the Manikato Stakes if the Moonee Valley track is rain affected. Photo by Daniel Costello.
The Moonee Valley track is currently rated a Good 4 under sunny skies on Thursday morning but the Bureau Of Meteorology has forecast up to 20mm of rain on Friday.
If the rain does come, Snowden said that Capitalist would come out of the Manikato Stakes and be saved for the Group 1 $500,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday week against the three year olds.
“I’m not too keen on the weather forecast,” Snowden told racing.com.
“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 (Thursday morning) – 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 is currently on the second line of betting at $6.50 for the Manikato Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au behind the $2.35 favourite Chautauqua and Snowden is giving him a great chance against the older sprinters at weight for age.
“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 said.
“We thought the Manikato might be the right option.”
“There’s more than just Chautauqua.”
“I’m happy with my bloke. He’s drawn a nice gate. We’ve been there (the Valley) a couple of times for work, and he’s handled it quite well so fingers crossed.”
Capitalist proved to be the superior two year old when he scored a half a length win over Yankee Rose in the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill during the Sydney Autumn Carnival but failed to handle the rain affected track when resuming in the Spring for a first up fourth to Star Turn in the Group 3 $150,000 Smithfield RSL Club San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on August 13.
Then at his next start the Written Tycoon colt found his stablemate Russian Revolution and the Golden Rose winner Astern too strong when third in the Group 2 $300,000 The Star Roman Consul (1200m) at Randwick on October 1.
Kerrin McEvoy takes the ride on Capitalist with 53kg and is certain to give the colt a good run just off the pace from barrier six in the eleven horse field.
Market order for the Manikato Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.35 Chautauqua, $6.50 Capitalist, $9.50 English, $10 Fell Swoop, Buffering, $11 Holler, $13 Lucky Hussler, $14 The Quarterback, $20 Under The Louvre, $41 Rebel Dane, Japonisme.
