Trainer Paul Butterworth almost didn't get the chance to saddle Capital Gain in Saturday's G1 JJ Atkins S., with the gelding's large ownership group fielding international offers for the horse, but the decision to hold on to him paid dividends when he collected a first Group 1 win for himself and his trainer. Capital Gain, who was passed in for A$20,000 as a yearling at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, was purchased by his trainer in conjunction with Phar Out Syndications for A$50,000 at October's Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale. Off the mark at second asking at the Gold Coast in March, he was runner-up in three of his next four tries, including the Listed Dalrello S. at Eagle Farm on Apr. 29 and was sent off at 18-1 here, with blinkers added, off a fifth-place finish in the G2 Sires' Produce S. on May 27. Racing near the back of the field and wide down the backstretch as Sambro (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) set the pace from the G1 Manawatu Sires' Produce S. winner Melody Belle (Aus) (Commands {Aus}), the bay began to work his way closer passing the 600 metre mark and was six wide swinging into the stretch. Put to a drive, Capital Gain hit the lead in the dying strides to win by 3/4 of a length from the filly Aloisio on the inside.
“I knew he was the best horse in the race,” Butterworth said. “But I've got to thank the owners for not selling. I think he's a Derby horse, but the Victorian Derby is too close, so he'll have a break and get ready for the AJC Derby.”
Saturday, Doomben, Australia
JJ ATKINS S.-G1, A$609,000, BRC, 6-10, 2yo, Open Set Weight, 1600mT, 1:36.21, Good.
1-&@#CAPITAL GAIN, 57.0, g, 2, by Ad Valorem (USA)
1st Dam: Zuzao, by Delzao
2nd Dam: Zuwanda, by Sir Dapper
3rd Dam: Darling Take Care, by Bending Away (USA)
(A$50,000 2YO 2016 MM Gold Coast 2YO in Training Sale) O-M
R Blyth, R J Purcell, G R Purcell, R J Manwaring, R J Manwaring,
Mrs C E Chapman, Mrs C G Clarke, D M Meehan, Mrs D L
Fitzgerald, D W Cabban, Mrs S F Wishart, P K Butterworth;
B-Mr RJ Manwaring NSW; T-Paul Butterworth; J-J Byrne;
A$393,000. Lifetime Record: 8-2-3-0, A$452,300. Werk Nick
Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Aloisia (NZ), 55.0, f, 2, Azamour (IRE)–Queen Boudicca (NZ),
by Perfectly Ready. O-O T I Racing, S M Layton, Mrs S L Layton,
J P Spence, Mrs J T Spence, L Webb, Ms D McKeown, Ms M
Webb, D Miller, Mrs D Miller, J A Boyd, Mrs E Dodd, R Koch,
Jjagg, Carte Blanche Ra; B-M Hall, J A & Mrs K A Price, Waikato,
NZ; T-C Maher; J-M Zahra; A$120,000.
3–Taking Aim, 57.0, c, 2, Choisir–Girl Hussler, by Hussonet
(USA). (A$520,000 Ylg 2016 WI Sydney Easter Yearling Sale)
O-Newgate S F (Mgr: G D Murphy), Aquis Farm (Mgr: Miss K A
Fogden), China Horse Club Racing Pty Ltd (Mgr: A K Teo), Horse
Ventures (Mgr: M B Sandblom) & Winstar Farm Llc (Mgr: J
Mull; B-Segenhoe Thoroughbreds Australia Pty Ltd NSW; T-P &
P Snowden; J-J Bowman; A$60,000.
Margins: 0.3 len, 1.1 len, 1.3 len. Odds: 18.00, 16.00, 6.50.
Also Ran: Mishani Bullitt, Sambro, Lord Cecil, Pierata, Eminent, Up Trumpz, Melody Belle (NZ), Tangled, Magnufighter, Silky Brown, Charlie Chap.
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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