Luckless when a fast-finishing third in the Group ATC III Up And Coming Stakes last month, Capitalist gelding Encap finally received all the breaks when shedding his maiden status in Saturday’s Group III ATC Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) at Rosehill.
Ridden by Brett Prebble for Gary Portelli, Encap defeated Tavistock colt Ceolwulf by a length and three-quarters race favourite and Encap’s Up And Coming conqueror Tom in third place.
Encap has placed in all four previous starts, and Gary Portelli said he was overdue for a change of luck.
“It’s been frustrating. I thought we were going to have the same luck coming to the corner when he was held up for a couple of strides,” Portelli said.
“He’s only a very small horse, about 15.2 (hands), and he had to push a big horse out of the way, but he’s got a big motor.
“What he did first-up at Warwick Farm surprised the hell out of me. I thought I could have a really serious racehorse here. I thought he’d just win his next start and he got too far back and rattled home, get on me next start then he came here and was unlucky last start.
“It just goes to show you, good horses can come from anywhere. He wasn’t showing this sort of ability early on. I thought he might win a maiden or a class one and here he is, he’s a proper horse.”
Portelli is a considering a crack at the $1million ATC Golden Rose (1400m) in two weeks time.
“That might be a race we aim at. I’ll talk to Brett and see how he comes through the run, but I think that’s probably a nice race for him,” Portelli said.
“He’s by a Golden Slipper winner in Capitalist out of a mare by Stratum, so a double cross of Golden Slipper winners and I thought ‘well this is my next Golden Slipper winner.’ It’s about twelve months too late.”
A $200,000 purchase for his trainer from the Newhaven Park Stud draft at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Sale, Encap is the third winner from as many to race from the Group III BRC Vo Rogue Plate winner Enquare, a daughter of Group III winner Skewiff.
Newhaven offered a brother to Encap at Easter this year, where he fell short of making his $200,000 reserve and he has since been named Prime Broker and sent to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Encap is the 15th stakes-winner for Capitalist, who stands for $77,000 this spring.
