By Glenn Davis
Trainer Paul Butterworth has 500,000 reasons to switch course to chase the lucrative Summer Crown bonus if Group 1 winner Capital Gain makes a winning comeback at Doomben on Saturday.
Capital Gain steps out in the Winning Rupert Plate (1200m) in his first appearance since claiming the Group 1 J J Atkins at Doomben in June.
Butterworth initially planned not to chase the series but the $500,000 bonus was a lure too good to refuse if Capital Gain can win three of the five-race series.
The Winning Rupert and the Mode Plate which also will be run on Saturday are the first legs of the five-race Three-Year-Old Summer Crown series.
The remaining series races include the Listed Gold Edition Plate at Doomben on December 16, Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate at Doomben on December 30 and the Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast on January 13.
“The original plan was to run on Saturday, miss the Gold Edition and then run in the Vo Rogue Plate,” Butterworth said.
“But if he happens to win the Winning Rupert he’ll go for the Gold Edition as well and go after the bonus.”
Butterworth has fielded several lucrative offers for Capital Gain following his J J Atkins triumph and expects more to come if the three-year-old makes a winning return.
“I’ve knocked back numerous offers including one only a week ago,” Butterworth said.
“I’ve got no doubt there’ll be more to come if he races well this summer.”
Capital Gain has been in work for several months and ran fourth in a barrier trial at Doomben a fortnight ago.
“It’s 1200 metres on Saturday and that’s not his pet distance but he’s jumping out of his skin,” Butterworth said.
“If he gets clear running he’ll be hard to hold off.
“I’m not worried if it’s really wet as he’s got good form on heavy tracks.”
Butterworth expects Capital Gain will take a great deal of improvement from his summer pipeopener which will be the curtain raiser to a Sydney autumn carnival campaign.
“If he runs well during the summer he’ll be freshened up for the Rosehill and Randwick Guineas and the Australian Derby in Sydney,” he said.
While Butterworth is confident of a competitive performance from Capital Gain, he has great respect for the Darryl Hansen-trained Bring It Home Pop.
Racing Queensland webnews November 30