Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
The decision to send Captain Stirling to the paddock for a spell early in September paid handsome dividends when the Captain Crunch colt, at his second appearance after a 25-week absence, overcame a testing run in the breeze to score an impressive victory in the $100,000 APG Sales Classic for three-year-old colts and geldings at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Driven by his trainer Dylan Egerton-Green, Captain Stirling was the $2 favourite from the coveted No. 1 barrier, and he was expected to lead.
However, Captain Stirling, despite being driven out hard, was unable to hold out $19 chance American Major, who got to a clear lead after 40 metres.
With $12 chance Control The Room leading the one-wide line early, Egerton-Green made a wise decision to ease Captain Stirling from behind American Major and to move to the outside of the pacemaker after about 600m.
“I didn’t want to get boxed in,” explained Egerton-Green. “And then he had to do it tough. He wasn’t really switched on at the start, even though he got out quicker than he ever has (with a fast lead time of 36.1sec.). He held them early before the other one (American Major) got him for speed in the last 50 metres out of the gate.”
Approaching the bell, Kyle Symington urged Charivari ($7) forward with a three-wide burst which was followed by the $3.30 second favourite Belly Up. Soon after that, with 650m to travel, Egerton-Green sent Captain Stirling to the front, and the colt withstood a strong interrogation from Belly Up before drawing away to win by 5m from that gelding. The winner rated 1.56.9 over the 2130m after final quarters of 28.9sec. and 29.3sec.
“Captain Stirling was a lion tonight, and he has shown the benefit of a good spell when he had time to develop,” said Egerton-Green. “He will be aimed for all the feature events for three-year-old this year.
Captain Stirling, bought for $32,000 at the 2023 Perth APG yearling sale and raced by Rob Tomlinson’s Oz-West Pacing, Damien Keating and Peter Morris, has earned $132,665 from three wins and seven placings from eleven starts. He is the tenth foal out of the Northern Luck mare Chemical Romance, who was unplaced at her three starts as a two-year-old in 2009 before being retired.