Wilson in dilemma with Captain Fenkel

By Glenn Davis

Fresh off his biggest ever pay-day with Heavenly Impact at the Magic Millions, trainer Marcus Wilson is in a dilemma with stablemate Captain Fenkel.

Wilson claimed a career highlight when his promising three-year-old Heavenly Impact won the $250,000 Magic Millions Maiden at the Gold Coast last Saturday before the remainder of the meeting was washed out and postponed to Friday night.

Fast forward to now and Wilson must choose between Captain Fenkel running in the Benchmark 78 over 1600 metres at Eagle Farm on Saturday or the Ballina Cup on Friday.

Wilson said it was a difficult decision where to start Captain Fenkel as both venues were winnable races but was leaning to Eagle Farm.

“Both races are very attractive and he gets in well in the Ballina Cup with a claim,” Wilson said.

“A win in the Ballina Cup would make him eligible for the Big Dance in Sydney but Eagle Farm probably suits him better although he’s got a bigger weight.

“I’m leaning to Eagle Farm as Ballina is in the soft range and if it gets any more rain it’ll go to heavy which is not ideal.”

While Sydney trainers took their horses to the Gold Coast for the Queensland Summer Racing Carnival, Wilson sent Captain Fenkel down to the harbour city for his last start.

Unfortunately, Captain Fenkel fell just short of a Sydney breakthrough finishing second to the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Vega Magnifico in a 1500-metre Benchmark race at Randwick on January 4.

“It was a good run and he was a little unlucky as he had no cover and there was no speed on in the race,” Wilson said.

“He needs speed on to get dragged into his races.

“It was a tough effort considering it was his first trip away and his first go up the hill at Randwick.”

Captain Fenkel raced in three Stakes races in Brisbane before his Sydney trip.

The four-year-old finished sixth in the Listed Recognition Stakes at Doomben last November before a third in the Listed Tails Stakes and fifth in the Listed Member’s Mile at Eagle Farm.

Wilson set Captain Fenkel on a Queensland Derby path last winter but found he wasn’t a genuine stayer when he failed badly in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate.

“He ran a fair race in the Queensland Guineas last year but he couldn’t get the trip in the Rough Habit Plate when he ran last,” Wilson said.

Wilson has 40 horses in work at the Gold Coast after starting his career at Inverell in northern NSW. 

He served a long apprenticeship working for his father John Wilson before starting off training with one horse. 

“Dad still potters around the stable and it’s good to have a second set of eyes,” Wilson said.