Racing
Newmarket trail for Chris Waller's top sprinters
Angel Capital is joining stablemates Beiwacht and Wodeton on the Newmarket Handicap trail but defending champ Joliestar is likely to go down a different route this autumn.
Joliestar gave Waller his second win in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap last year – the trainer also won the race with Brazen Beau (2015) – but the brilliant mare is unlikely to be given her chance to go back-to-back in the feature $2 million Flemington 1200m sprint on March 7.
"I'm half tempted to think about the Futurity (Stakes, Caulfield, 1400m, February 21) for Joliestar,'' Waller said.
"She's unlikely to go to the Newmarket because we've got three 'colts' and they're very well weighted whereas she would have a lot of weight.
"I'm keen to keep her here or either go for the Futurity Stakes and then come back for the Canterbury Stakes.''
Angel Capital hasn't won at Group 1 level yet but has shown glimpses of obvious ability including his second to the outstanding Jimmysstar to close out his spring campaign last year.
Waller said Angel Capital is set to resume in the Group 2 $300,000 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 14 then will "make his way to the Newmarket''.
Waller said Beiwacht will have another look at the Flemington straight course with a jump-out on Friday.
"Beiwacht resumes in the Lightning and goes to the Newmarket and the view of getting to Dubai,'' he said. "The Lightning will be a critical guide as to how he is tracking.''
Coolmore-owned Wodeton, runner-up in the Golden Slipper and Golden Rose, is likely to make his return to racing at Royal Randwick on Saturday against the likes of top filly Tempted in the Group 3 $250,000 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m).
The Waller-trained Autumn Boy, winner of the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas last spring, also contested a 1000m heat at the Warwick Farm barrier trials on Tuesday, finishing a pleasing third (with Attica ca close fourth) behind speedy Lilac.
Waller said Autumn Boy will return in the Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 21 before lining up in the Group 1 $1 million Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Royal Randwick on March 7, the same program trainer Joe Pride has mapped out for Spring Champion Stakes hero Attica.
Pride's stable star Ceolwulf contested the opening heat over 1200m at Tuesday's Warwick Farm trials session and impressed with his third behind Just Fine.
