A look at some of the races on the undercard at Saturday’s Caulfield meeting
McDonald looking to Capitalise in Guineas
Clinton Mcdonald remained unsure of whether Angel Capital was a sprinter or miler heading into Saturday's Caulfield meeting, but he at least now knows which way his star colt is heading.
The explosive youngster will be given his chance to prove himself a miler after making it back-to-back wins for the campaign in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude.
He followed up his first-up win in a roughhouse McKenzie Stakes (1200m) with a bob-and-weave win in Saturday's 1400m Group 3, which proved to McDonald he deserved a shot at the $3m Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 12.
"We do think he'll run a mile," McDonald said after the win.
"Obviously, that was a great win, he had to get back to the worst ground and lost momentum, and the horses down the outside had the momentum.
"We think he's a proper colt and he's showing us that now."
Angel Capital ($5.50) took his record to three wins from five starts with his long-neck win over Written Tycoon colt Public Attention ($16). Wanaruah ($4.60) was just a short-head back third.
McDonald has every right to believe Angel Capital will run a strong 1600m with the son of Harry Angel out of the Teofilo mare Bahamas, which makes him a half-brother to Senor Toba and Berkeley Square.
He is now an $11 chance in the Caulfield Guineas, betting on which is headed by the James Cummings-trained Broadsiding($3.50).
Lilac lands valuable Black-Type win
Lilac inserted herself firmly into the Thousand Guineas picture with Listed victory at her first Victorian start.
The Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained filly took her record to two wins from four starts when she emphatically passed her first test not only in Saturday company, but Black Type grade in the $175,000 Jim Moloney Stakes (1400m).
The daughter of Justify tired late, but had the race won well before the finish, and lasted to score a head win over the fast-finishing Delichy Boulevard and another Sydney-sider, Too Darn Lizzy.
The Champion Thoroughbreds-raced filly is now an $11 chance in Thousand Guineas betting, which is headed by Hayasugi at $5, and while Neasham said that is an option the main objective of the trip south was realised with the win.
"Physically, she's still got a bit of a way to go, she's quite a slender filly that has still got a lot to go and I think the best is still yet ahead of her.
"We'll just see how she comes through this (and) see how deep into a prep we get.
"But, most importantly, we've got the Stakes win today, so the pressure's off in that regard. But hopefully she can build on her CV from here on in."
Poifect start to the campaign for Hayes mare
Progressive Lindsay Park mare Poifect hinted she was in for a lucrative campaign with a gritty first-up win.
The four-year-old daughter of Pierro was passively-placed for a Listed winner in the BM84 event for fillies and mares but her targets from hereon will get significantly tougher with races like the $10m Golden Eagle and Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes being considered.
"The aim is always to improve the pedigree, so she'll be hopefully going to stakes grade next start," winning co-trainer Ben Hayes said.
"If she's to keep improving and shows a lot more, you never know Golden Eagle could be something that you look to target.
"There's so many options for her and she's got lots of improvement to come which is exciting."
Poifect ($2.50 fav) took her career record to four wins from nine starts with her nose victory over the Chris Waller-trained Anahita ($19) with Quickster ($4.20) 2-1/2 lengths away third.
Zeus wins and Federer flops
Regal Zeus earned a shot at the $200,000 Listed Seymour Cup with his win in the 1600m benchmark 78 that was the second race on the card, but future plans for the previously unbeaten Federer will be reassessed with his poor performance.
The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding, who had won his first two starts in dominant fashion and started $1.55 favourite, looked a different horse in his first test at Saturday level.
The son of Dundeel and Jameka enjoyed a cosy run on the fence behind the speed but was under urging from jockey Ben Allen before the field straightened and dropped out to finish sixth, beaten more than 10 lengths.
"It was a bit like a flat run," Allen said.
"When the horse went to the start he felt amazing, but everything in the run I was having to ask him to do, which is unlike him, he normally travels.
"I'm not really sure to be honest. I'd just put a line through that."
While the Federer team were left to lament his poor showing, those associated with the John Mcardle-trained Regal Zeus celebrated their four-year-old going one better than his past three starts when the $10 chance capitalised on a well-judged ride from Daniel Stackhouse to score a head win over Nails Murphy.
He now heads to the 1600m Seymour Cup, which will be run on Sunday, October 13.
