Trainer Pat Carey has confirmed that Angola is likely to lead the 2014 The BMW field and the in-form stayer is set to get an undisrupted run in front following the scratchings of Green Moon and Mourayan.
Angola will be making his debut in the 2014 The BMW at Rosehill Gardens this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Angola will be taking on a strong field when he makes his Group 1 debut in The BMW, but Carey believes that the Helenus gelding is the fittest horse in the race after scoring wins in the Rain Lover Handicap (2500m) at Flemington on January 11 and the Burbank Homes Handicap (2100m) at Sandown on March 22 this year.
Carey is expecting Angola to get an easy run at the front of The BMW field and is hoping that the five-year-old can produce a competitive effort in what will be his final race start before he contests the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick on April 19.
“He is a very fit horse and it is a nice race to take him through to the Sydney Cup,” Carey told Racing Ahead.
“He is as fit as hands can make him at the moment so we will just take our chance on Saturday.
“He is a horse that naturally gets up on the bridle and what is key to his chances is always how smooth he gets that run in the race to how good he finishes.
“You are always going there hoping for the best and if he weighs in I will be wrapped.”
Carey is hoping to have multiple Group 1 runners at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday; with lightly-raced filly Blue Eyes currently the third emergency for the 2014 Vinery Stud Stakes.
Blue Eyes has been including in the nominations for the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m), but Carey admits that it is unlikely she will earn a start in the Vinery Stud Stakes and said he may have to save the filly for the Group 3 Adrian Know Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick next weekend.
“She is a lightly-raced filly, who is a full sister to Ethiopia,” Carey said.
“Understandably you can appreciate that we are trying to get some black type with her.
“It is probably unlikely that she is going to get a run, being the third emergency, and you generally don’t see many scratchings in these type of fillies races.
“If she doesn’t get a run hopefully she will go through to the Adrian Know.”
Angola is currently available at 2014 The BMW odds of $61, while Blue Eyes is the extreme outsider in the Vinery Stud Stakes betting markets at a price of $201.
