Gwenda Markwell's hopes of contesting a Melbourne Cup with Angel Of Truth have been dashed.
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On the back of two unsuccessful campaigns, owner Ross Williams has shifted the gelding from Markwell's Kembla Grange stables to Team Hawkes in Sydney.
With Angel Of Truth struggling last spring and throughout the autumn, Williams is hopeful the Hawkes will be able to return the four-year-old to the form that saw him win the 2019 ATC Derby.
"The problem with Angel Of Truth has been his conditioning," Williams said. "He's too light. I've mentioned this before, Gwenda hasn't been able to get the bulk on him.
"One trainer in Sydney that can do that is Hawkes. He's got his methods and his techniques to put bulk on, that's what he needs.
"He has been too light and in big races that's shown. You need the conditioning to give you strength in the finish, which he lacks a bit. It was okay to win the Derby against young horses, but now you're competing with the best."
Markwell had hoped to use the Derby victory as a springboard for a Melbourne Cup bid, however Angel Of Truth never found form during what was a frustrating spring campaign.
Failures in the Caulfield Cup and Bendigo Cup saw the gelding miss the 3200 metre staying test, Markwell instead spending the first Tuesday in November at Kembla Grange.
The stable had high hopes Angel Of Truth would bounce back for the Sydney autumn carnival, however he was unable to reach the podium in six starts.
Prior to The Championships, Williams signalled his intention to move the gelding away from Markwell at the conclusion of the campaign.
"I've given Gwenda two goes, she hasn't given me a win out of those two. For a nice horse like him, I'd be silly if I didn't give the horse a chance with somebody else.
"I don't know if we'll go to Melbourne. Once he puts some bulk on, he'll be able to compete at shorter distances and build up from there.
"I can't rule out the Caulfield Cup. As a five-year-old, he'll probably get a lower weight than he had before and he wasn't ridden properly last year. Aiming high, at the moment my aim is the Caulfield Cup."
While Markwell may have lost her Cup hopeful, Williams is currently considering sending Archedemus back to Kembla Grange.
The Illawarra trainer led him to victories in the 2019 Provincial Championships final and Hawkesbury Gold Cup, with new trainer Joe Pride unable to deliver similar results.
Should Williams send Archedemus back to Markwell, the gelding will likely be aimed towards the $1 million The Gong.
"Archedemus returning is a possibility, provided a few changes happen within the stable that I've discussed with them.
"I don't think Archedemus is well-suited to Joe, that's what happens with horses and that's why I move them around to find the right trainer.
"He just wasn't happy, he needs the country environment, he doesn't like the pressure of the city. He's always been a difficult horse to handle. Kembla seems to work for him."
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