Butterworth says Eagle Farm run will be taxing for Capital Gain

Capital Gain horse
Capital Gain, pictured here at the Adelaide Yearling Sales, is owned by a large syndicate. Connections are hopeful it can have a change of luck despite a very promising beginning to its career in Queensland.

PAUL Butterworth is under no illusion that Saturday’s $100,000 Dalrello Stakes at Eagle Farm will be the biggest test to date for his gelding Capital Gain, but the trainer has an eye on the future beyond this weekend.

The two-year-old looks to be one of the up-and-coming stars of Queensland racing after a win and a second placing from four career starts, and the trainer believes had things gone the horse’s way the record could read a lot better.

Capital Gain’s last two races have yielded a fourth and a second placing, but Butterworth told HorseBetting.com.au not everything went according to plan.

“He definitely should have won his last two, there’s no doubt about that,” the trainer said.

“I gave strict instructions to jockeys both times to get to the outside, both times he was sort of ridden ugly and both times they ended up driving up the fence behind horses that, to be fair just don’t travel as well as he does.

“They drop the anchor and he gets stuck in a bad position.”

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Butterworth believes Saturday’s Dalrello Stakes – in which Capital Gain is a $7 third favourite behind Snitzkraft ($2.25 at WilliamHill.com.au) and Chris Munce-trained Ours To Keep ($3 at Sportsbet.com.au) – will be the perfect opportunity to display the tactics he wants, which will give the gelding the optimal ability to break through for a second career win.

“You’ll see tomorrow he will be getting to the outside nice and early, which allow him to wind up and get over the top.”

This will be just the second time that Capital Gain has raced at Eagle Farm, and the first time it has raced at the prominent race track since its debut in February.

Butterworth believes that while this is the most significant race of the two-year-old’s career to date, outside of the top-two elects, his horse is a class above the field.

“It’s definitely the biggest race he’s been into at this stage,” the trainer said.

“But besides the top two it’s not that much dissimilar to what he’s been in so we’re looking forward to it.”

While Saturday’s race presents a significant milestone in Capital Gain’s career, Butterworth has bigger fish to fry in Queensland in 2017.

The trainer is already got his crosshairs on the Brisbane Winter Carnival, where several big name races are on the agenda.

“He’s already been pencilled in for the carnival,” Butterworth said.

“So after this he’ll go into the Sacred Elixir on the 14th, then into the (Group Two) Sires Produce Stakes, then the (Group One) JJ Atkins.

“That’s been set in stone for a little while now.”

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