A major shake-up to the betting markets for today’s feature race at Flemington has seen Sepals shoot to the top of the odds for the Group 1 $1 million Australian Guineas (1600m) following the shock withdrawal of former favourite Angel Capital.

Clinton McDonald‘s Harry Angel colt Angel Capital was well-backed to keep the wins coming after his first-up success in Caulfield’s Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) three weeks ago.

He was inspected by vets on Saturday morning after mucus was found on a scope and the gun three-year-old was subsequently not passed fit to run.

“He had a bit of mucus there this morning, so we scoped him, and so we’ve had to pull the pin,” McDonald told Racing.com.

“He’ll go straight onto treatment, and we should be able to clean it up quickly, but it’s put paid to the Guineas.

“I said I didn’t need bad luck and that’s what we’ve got.

“I’ll have a chat to Yulong and put a couple of ideas up. We are able to stay at that distance (1600m) or come back, as he’s only had the one run in, so it makes it flexible.

“I always thought he’d be a very good sprinter, so we’ll look over our options.”

Despite the setback, McDonald remains confident Angel Capital will make a quick recovery with plenty more Group 1 options ahead.

Updated Australian Guineas odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are now led by Sepals with Cliff Brown‘s in-form Calyx gelding at $3.50 to make it four straight wins.

His latest run had him winning the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington, a key Australian Guineas lead-up, by over three lengths.

Alligator Blood (2020) was the last horse to complete the CS Hayes Stakes – Australian Guineas double.

Sepals is getting plenty of support to be the next jumping from gate three with Blake Shinn in the saddle after his maiden victory in the all-important mile showdown.

The other Australian Guineas scratching was the Ciaron Maher trained Another Prophet (16).

First emergency Statuario comes in starting from barrier 15 as a $61 outsider for Emma-Lee & David Browne.

Second emergency Nostringsattached was also withdrawn.

Along with Sepals, two other Australian Guineas contenders are also currently at single figures for the win with Bjorn Baker‘s rails-drawn flyer Point And Shoot ($5) chasing a hat-trick after back-to-back Randwick wins and the Andrew Gluyas trained Victoria Derby champ Goldrush Guru ($8.50) with Jamie Melham to ride from gate five.

The 2025 Howden Australian Guineas is set to run as Flemington Race 8 at 4:15pm (AEDT).

There was also a notable withdrawal from the feature race in Sydney today with Ceowulf scratched from Randwick’s Gorup 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) due to an off-hind abrasion. Click here for the full story.

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