Trainer Pat Carey has been impressed with the work of Angola leading into the 2014 Ipswich Cup and he is confident that the tough stayer will perform well in the Listed event at Ipswich tomorrow.
Angola is chasing his maiden win at Listed level in the 2014 Ipswich Cup this weekend. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Angola was given a freshen-up after he finished tenth behind The Offer in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick on April 19 and returned to the races with a fair eighth in the Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1615m) at Doomben on May 24.
Carey told RSN that Angola had recovered well from his tough staying campaign in Sydney and said that the Helenus gelding had worked nicely heading into Ipswich Cup this weekend.
“He is pretty good,” Carey said.
“He has only had one run since he has been in Brisbane, which was an unsuitable mile race over unsuitable conditions at weight-for-age, and he goes back to a handicap at probably his right trip tomorrow.
“He has worked really nice; we gave him an easy time after Sydney and between runs we have been able to work him up a bit and he is going really well.”
Carey has given young jockey Ashley Butler the ride on Angola in the Ipswich Cup and the veteran trainer said that he is happy to give the rising hoop an opportunity at Listed level.
Butler will not have an easy task on Angola from barrier twelve, but Carey is hoping that the youngster will be able to settle the five-year-old towards the front of the Ipswich Cup field and getting him some cover in the early stages of the race.
“Young Ashley Butler is going pretty well and he is a good kid,” Carey said.
“He is just coming out of his time and he did a fair bit of work for me on Gondokoro for me last year and he has ridden quite a bit of work for me on this horse.
“He has had a few rides and run races for me in Brisbane, he is a nice kid, he is a boy that pays good attention to instructions and he is going somewhere I think.
“It looks like Brave Ali goes forward and leads and I would have thought that if a couple tow him up he will land in fifth or sixth.
“That would be ideal, but he has to get a bit of cover from that draw.
“He is one horse that does not need to be posted and it is a turning sort of track, but having a look through the form there isn’t a lot of horses that have previously raced there.”
Angola is currently available at 2014 Ipswich Cup odds of $8.50; with veteran stayer Ironstein ($5) a well-backed favourite from Brave Ali ($6.50) and Garud ($6.50).
