Straight Shorts - Tuesday February 18 - Angel Capital and Katsumi Orochi sold, Blue Diamond field and barriers

Straight Shorts is a rolling news update service on the biggest stories in racing, wagering and breeding. Today, Yulong purchases Angel Capital, a promising two-year-old changes hands and the Blue Diamond barrier draw.

Yulong buys Angel Capital

Yulong has purchased Angel Capital ahead of the colt’s tilt at the Australian Guineas.

The breeding and racing powerhouse confirmed on social media that the son of Harry Angel has been purchased but will remain with current trainer Clinton McDonald    

"Hot G1 Australian Guineas favourite Angel Capital is the latest addition to the Yulong racing team," Yulong announced on the platform X.

"The exciting Clinton McDonald-trained colt will don the bottle green silks for the first time next week at Flemington."

The price paid for Angel Capital, a winner of four of his seven starts, including the G2 Autumn Stakes, was not disclosed.

He was a $400,000 purchase by Upper Bloodstock from the Mill Park Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

Micro syndicator completes deal to buy lightly raced 2YO

Katsumi Orochi, a two-year-old son of Maurice who created a favourable impression at his only start, has figured in a sale that has led to his withdrawal from the Blue Diamond Stakes.

In a deal that is not dissimilar to the one that involved subsequent Group 1 winner Hitotsu, Katsumi Orochi, raced by Kevin and Vikki Payne and trained by Wendy Kelly, has been sold to microshare syndicator MyRacehorse.

A $230,000 Magic Millions yearling purchase, the colt made his debut when third to Blue Diamond favourite Field Of Play in a lead-up race at Caulfield.

The Paynes sold Hitotsu, also a son of Maurice, after three unplaced starts for Kelly that included two outings through the Blue Diamond series.

While Hitotsu contested the Blue Diamond, MyRacehorse has switched Katsumi Orochi’s autumn focus to two Group 1 races during the Sydney autumn carnival under new trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman.

The Freedmans purchased Katsumi Orochi’s half-brother by Palace Pier at this year’s Gold Coast sale for $280,000.

Myracehorse said the colt would be aimed at the ATC Inglis Sires’ and the Champagne Stakes as micro shares become available to the public on Wednesday.

Racing Australia supports lameness biomarker study

A research project commissioned by Racing Australia involving more than 1200 racehorses in training will be undertaken to determine if a key biomarker can predict lameness and injury in thoroughbreds.

Costing $400,000, the study will be coordinated between RA’s Equine Genetics Research Centre (EGCA) and private company TeleMedVET.

The University of Western Australia’s school of Agriculture and Environment will also be involved with the project. 

With the potential for a groundbreaking insight into horse welfare, The Straight’s Bren O’Brien reports that thoroughbreds in training will be assessed across three states over 12 months. 

TeleMedVET founder Pete Tually had been working on background research before teaming up with the EGCA.

“Every horse probably has this mechanical limit, but, at the moment, we can't predict what that limit is for each particular horse. So this is the most practical way to look at it,” EGCA director Dr Natasha Hamilton said.

Full story:

‘Giving the horse a voice’ – RA backs landmark lameness biomarker study

More than 1200 Australian racehorses will take part in a Racing Australia-commissioned research project which could identify if a key biomarker can be used to predict equine injuries.

The StraightBren O’Brien

Field Of Play heads Blue Diamond betting after barrier draw

Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Field Of Play has drawn an inside gate for the $2 million race.

Unbeaten in two starts for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, Field Of Play will jump from barrier five at Caulfield on Saturday.

The Deep Field gelding, paid up as a late entry for the first juvenile Group 1 race of the Australian seas0n, is a $5 chance with most corporate bookmakers.

Busuttin and Young will be chasing their second Blue Diamond success after Tagaloa’s victory in 2020.