Angel Capital gives Harry Angel a fourth G1 winner

Harry Angel’s son Angel Capital delivered a much-awaited and deserved G1 victory, with the Chris Waller-trained five-year-old breaking through in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1,400m) at Caulfield.

Jockey Ben Melham gave him a midfield run from barrier seven and, after getting him into the clear, he unleashed a strong finish to run down last year’s winner of the race, Sepals, with the early leader Regal Award holding on for third.

After a series of near misses, it was an authoritative three-quarters of a length win, which greatly pleased Waller’s foreman Darren Beadman.

“He’s five years old. He’s been unlucky so many times in Group 1” the former champion jockey said.

“He’s been deserving of the Group 1 win for so many runs. The way this track panned out today with a good, strong speed up front, Ben (Melham) has the utmost faith in the horse and he rode him to perfection.”

It was also a sense of relief for Melham, who had ridden Angel Capital in two of his three Group 1 placings.

“Finally! This horse, we’ve sort of praised his ability from day dot. I just knew today, it's the first time he's been in a suitable race where I just thought everything would go to plan and right conditions,” he said.

“The ability's never been the question with him. He's a very good colt, as you've seen there today, but he's just so big and he's such a brute. He’s not an easy horse to ride, but when things go his way, you've seen what he can do.”

Bred by David Peacock, Angel Capital is out of the Teofilo">Teofilo mare Bahamas, who has produced three stakes winners.

Offered by Mill Park Stud at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Angel Capital was sold to Upper Bloodstock for $400,000 and started his career with Clinton McDonald, winning three stakes races.

He was sold privately to Yulong during his three-year-old campaign and transferred to Waller, with whom he won another stakes race in September last year. 

He becomes the fourth Group 1-winning son for his sire, joining Tom Kitten and War Machine, who were both behind him in this race, and Private Harry, who is now standing at stud at Yulong.

Harry Angel has 24 stakes winners globally, with eight of those in Australia. In Europe, his current juvenile crop is impressing and includes Stakes winners Angels Lane and Alwaysanangel plus unbeaten fillies Evenfall and Value Pending.