Clinton McDonald up for Caulfield Guineas challenge with Angel Capital

Clinton McDonald wants to prove the form analysts wrong as his colt Angel Capital leads the Victorian charge against the Sydney raiders in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas.

Clinton McDonald has heard it all before.

Sydney form is stronger, this and that.

Like Blue Diamond winner Hayasugi in February, leading Victorian colt Angel Capital is rated behind Harbour City raiders Broadsiding and Mayfair in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas pecking order.

Broadsiding is a $1.50 favourite with Ladbrokes from Mayfair ($7.50) and Angel Capital ($9).

Five of the top eight in the market boast Sydney form lines.

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“It’s always the way, everyone thinks the Sydney form is stronger and that was the case in the Blue Diamond and they were wrong there,” McDonald said.

“Let’s hope they’re wrong Saturday, we won’t be complaining that’s for sure.”

Angel Capital won the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m) first-up at The Valley and saluted in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) second-up to stamp his credentials.

The Harry Angel colt has yet to race beyond 1400m but powerful finishes the past two starts would suggest 1600m on Saturday is within reach. Angel Capital has thrived three weeks between runs.

Angel Capital looks the leading Victorian contender in the Caulfield Guineas on Saturday. Picture: Reg Ryan/Racing Photos via Getty Images

“He’s as well as we can have him,” McDonald said.

“We’ve got a tough ask ahead of us to beat Broadsiding, $1.50 favourite but we can’t fault our horse and looking forward to Saturday and looking forward to the challenge.

“He did an amazing job in the autumn, Broadsiding, and went to Queensland and did what he did, we just got to hope he has a bit of bad luck and we have all the luck.

“If that can happen you never know, it’s a horse race, there’s plenty of $1.50 chances beaten in the past.

“There will be no excuses going into Saturday … we just hope he’s good enough and he can show what he’s shown us here.

“If he does he’ll give one terrific shot at it, to beat the favourite, everyone is scared of the favourite and probably entitled to be … he’s a triple Group 1 winner.

“We feel our horse is a Group 1 colt and we’re hoping he can get the job done on Saturday.”

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The top four in the market are drawn next to each other in barriers seven (Angel Capital), eight (Evaporate), Broadsiding (nine) and 10 (Mayfair).

McDonald said Angel Capital would be ridden no differently to previous starts, unfazed about the opposition drawn outside of him.

“As long as our horse races to his full ability we’ll be fine, if Broadsiding is too good he’s too good on the day, we live to fight another day,” McDonald said.

“Not going to go out there and do something extraordinary, we’re just going to ride our horse, Ben (Melham) knows him well and once he’s on-board it’s up to him to get the job done.”

Melham caused a Caulfield Guineas upset last year aboard Griff.

McDonald also has Star Patrol resuming in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m).

“He’s the soundest and best I’ve had this horse leading into a race,” McDonald said.