Three-year-old summary: Castelvecchio celebrates first G1 with El Castello’s Spring Champion win, sealing a big day for the sire

Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

El Castello on song, records fourth straight in Spring Champion S.

Castelvecchio's reputation keeps climbing as his son, El Castello, remained undefeated by winning the G1 Spring Champion S. at Randwick, marking a first Group 1 triumph for his sire, who has now produced three Group winners in under three weeks.

It was his fourth consecutive victory, holding off a late surge from Henlein (Dundeel {NZ}) for Anthony Cummings and Josh Parr.

Cummings turned his focus to next Saturday’s G1 Victoria Derby at Flemington.

“Standing here today, the decision is yes,” he told 7Horseracing after the race.

“But we have to get him home, make sure he is okay and tick a fair few boxes before we do that.

“He’s just a very good horse, the preparation went perfectly.”

Castelvecchio, who stands at Arrowfield Stud for $22,000 (inc GST), celebrated another victory as his filly Double Market took out the G2 Fillies Classic at Moonee Valley earlier in the day.

Cummings purchased the Cambridge Stud-bred El Castello for $220,000 from their draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and he now has $1,625,975 from seven starts.

El Castello is the second foal and first winner for his dam Word Games (Fastnet Rock), a metropolitan winning half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Fiveandahalfstar (Hotel Grand), who was bred and trained by Cummings to win the Victoria Derby and the G1 BMW S.

Parr has been on El Castello in three of his four wins this preparation.

“Wow. That was thrilling, I tell you. The two went down the side, they took off and I just said, 'No, not just yet my man, let's just wait'. I was able to wait. We topped the hill, and I just briefly started to let him go and his ears just slightly went different directions, he was waiting for some company,” he said.

Word Games foaled an Almanzor (Fr) filly in early September and a filly by that same stallion last year.

Red Aces leads betting for Victoria Derby after gutsy win in G2 Vase

Part of a massive day for the Dundeel (NZ) sire line, Red Aces is ready to back up and be a force to be reckoned with in the G1 Victoria Derby next Saturday, after his courageous 0.25l victory in the G2 Vase at Moonee Valley.

With Jamie Mott in the saddle, the colt edged out Opening Address (So You Think {NZ}) and King Of Thunder (NZ) (Tivaci) on the line, making it an all High Chaparral (Ire)-line finish.

The gutsy finish was enough for trainer Nick Ryan to declare that a week would be enough time to get ready for the $2 million Derby over 2500 metres at Flemington, with Red Aces now leading the line of betting to win at $6.

“Today is the perfect gallop for next week. He’s tough, he’s a good colt,” he said.

Ryan said his colt had been a joy to train since being scratched from the barriers at Caulfield last weekend.

“He had a really good gallop here on Tuesday. I had to do a bit more with him on Thursday. He came through that so well, and I actually rode him myself this morning and gave him a whizz around because he’s so well,” he said.

One of his Arrowfield Stud based in-form sire’s 32 stakes winners, Red Aces is out of the two-time winner Cardiac (Encosta de Lago). He was bred by Musk Creek and purchased from their draft by Nick Ryan Racing for $380,000 at the 2023 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

All five runners out of Cardiac (who died two years ago) are winners and Red Aces is her second stakes winner, her first being the G3 Chairman’s S. winner Declarationofheart (Declaration Of War {USA}).

By Champion Sire Encosta de Lago (providing him with his 168th stakes winner as a broodmare sire), Cardiac was picked up for $130,000 by Jamieson Park from Coolmore Stud at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

She is a half-sister to the G1 Victoria Oaks heroine Arapaho Miss (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), dam of another Victoria Oaks winner in Miami Bound (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) and the Listed winning stayer De Little Engine (Encosta de Lago). This is also the family of Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai).

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Prost turns around form in fine style to salute in G2 Callander-Presnell

Prost (Snitzel) has turned around his form in fine style, with Adam Hyeronimus piloting him to a 0.03l victory on the line, defeating the Justify (USA) colt Just Party in the $1 million G2 Callander-Presnell at Randwick.

It was his first win since saluting in the G3 Canonbury S. over 1100 metres at Rosehill on February 3.

Bred by Gerry Harvey out of the Sandown winner Samarmeteors (Northern Meteor), Prost was a $650,000 buy for Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd/TFI/Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing from Baramul Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

The dam of another two winners, the half-sister to Shinzo’s (Snitzel) dual Group 1-winning dam Samaready (More Than Ready {USA}) was not served last spring after foaling a colt by Extreme Choice.

Castelvecchio continues brilliant run of winners in Fillies Classic

Castelvecchio’s brilliant run as a sire continued in the G2 Fillies Classic at Moonee Valley, with Double Market saluting by 0.75l for Ben, Will and JD Hayes, with Michael Dee in the saddle.

The good-looking 3-year-old produced a classy turn of foot inside the final 200 metres to add to her maiden win at Ballarat on October 3.

Castelvecchio also sired Saturday’s G1 Spring Champion S. winner El Castello and last weekend’s G3 Reginald Allen S. winner Aeliana.

A $100,000 Magic Millions purchase from Bhima Thoroughbreds for Lindsay Park Racing, Double Market was bred by GSA Bloodstock and is the second foal and second winner for the city-placed winner First Tier (Redoute’s Choice).

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Will Hayes has been delighted with the progress and maturity of his filly, and believes she can step up and compete in the G1 Thousand Guineas over a mile at Caulfield on November 16.

“For her to come out and win a Group 2 at her second start makes her very valuable and it is a terrific result for the ownership group,” he said.

“Definitely (aiming her for the Thousand Guineas). We’ll be guided by how she pulls up, but that’s the logical line and length.”

Not returned to the Stud Book last season, First Tier foaled a Pierro filly last spring and her two-year-old is a New Zealand-based full brother to Double Market. She is bred on a 4 X 3 cross of her own third dam Show Lady (USA) (Sir Ivor {USA}), the third dam of Redoute’s Choice from the same branch of this prolific family as the ill-fated dual Group 1 winner He’s No Pie Eater (Canny Lad).

A full brother to Double Market will be offered at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale on November 21. Purchased by Paul Willetts Bloodstock Consultancy for $10,000 at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale in 2023, he is presented next month by Kilgravin Lodge as Lot 369. The 2-year-old gelding breezed up at Te Rapa Racecourse on October 21, running his 200 metres in 10.38s. He is the only progeny of Castelvecchio on offer at the sale.

Bittercreek to back it up in Coolmore Stud Stakes

Malua Racing trainer Troy Corstens said that he will be backing up Bittercreek (Snitzel) in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. next Saturday after his 0.75l victory in the G3 Red Anchor S. at Moonee Valley.

The 3-year-old colt’s strong finish under the urgings of Ben Allen in the 1200-metre feature worth $200,000 signalled a strong comeback from his disappointing seventh last start in the G2 Danehill S. at Flemington on October 5.

“He’s such a classy animal,” Corstens told Racing.com. “He probably just needed that last run.

“The timing might not be ideal, but he’s a 3-year-old colt, he’s a strong boy and he’s really tough so he is going to take his place in the Coolmore.”

Bred by Belinda Bateman, Bittercreek is the 151st stakes winner for his Arrowfield Stud-based Champion Sire.

And he is the third stakes winner for the excellent producer Rose Of Cimmaron (Bite The Bullet {USA}), also dam of the G3 Bill Ritchie H. winner Siege Of Quebec (Fastnet Rock) and the G3 Manfred S. winner Bull Point.

The dual city-winning Rose Of Cimmaron is one of the 11 winners (from as many foals) for Gainesville (Can) (Afleet {Can}), also dam of the Listed winner Amah Rock (Fastnet Rock) and the Group 3-winning, high-class broodmare Mica’s Pride (Bite The Bullet {USA}) whose 12 winners include the Group 1 gallopers Criterion and Comin’ Through (Fastnet Rock).

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Rose Of Cimmaron was served last spring by Capitalist having lost a filly by that G1 Golden Slipper S. winner last spring.

Amazing Eagle breaks maiden in thrilling style to win Listed Brian Crowley S.

Amazing Eagle (Capitalist) broke his maiden status in thrilling fashion, saluting by 0.07l in the Listed Brian Crowley S. at Randwick.

Out of Taliqua (Charge Forward), Amazing Eagle went forward to lead under Tyler Schiller for Gerald Ryan and Stirling Alexiou.

The colt then displayed a good turn of foot turning for home, edging out the $1.1 million Snitzel colt Manos.

Bred by V Lourigan and Highgrove Stud, Amazing Eagle was a $400,000 purchase for George Moore Bloodstock from Highgrove Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

He was the third winner from three foals for his winning dam, a daughter of the Listed winner Anacarde (Anabaa {USA}) who is also grandam of the Group 3-winning stayer Allergic (Street Cry {Ire}).

Taliqua slipped last spring with her 2023 foal being a colt by Yes Yes Yes.

Certain Rise makes in two in a row

Certain Rise (Written Tycoon) made it two wins in a row with a classy 0.75l triumph in the Listed Crockett S. at Moonee Valley.

Having 1.5l on her rivals at the turn, the filly maintained her lead inside the last 100 metres in the 1200-metre sprint.

Winning co-trainer Glen Thompson knew his filly would perform well in her third start, stepping up in company after saluting in a maiden over the same distance at Mornington on October 10.

“We’ve always had a really high opinion of her. Every time we’ve raised the bar she’s met it,” he said.

“She’s only been beaten one time and that was by a really smart colt. Hopefully it’s onwards and upwards from now.

“There was no real plan after today. It’s been race-by-race with her. The old cliché we’ll let the dust settle on today and we’ll work it out afterwards.”

The 66th stakes winner for her Yulong-based Champion Sire Written Tycoon, Certain Rise is the second foal for the city-placed, three-time winner Concubine (Redoute’s Choice) whose dam, the G3 Winter S. winner Charmview (Royal Academy {USA}), is also grandam of this year’s G3 Rough Habit Plate winner Tannhauser (Dundeel {NZ}).

Concubine foaled a Dundeel colt in mid-September and a Street Boss (USA) filly last year. Her 2-year-old filly by Capitalist was passed in at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Comedy shows serious talent to win 2-year-old Kirkham Plate

Godolphin produced a stable trifecta in the Kirkham Plate at Randwick, with Comedy (Snitzel), Gaeilge (Exceed And Excel) and Lapis Lazuli (Microphone) finishing top three for top trainer James Cummings.

It was a promising start to Comedy’s racing career, the colt (part of an all Danehill {USA}-line finish) triumphing by 0.55l for jockey Kerrin McEvoy.

Comedy stormed home inside the final 200 metres to run down stablemate Gaeilge, after being three wide without cover.

Godolphin stable representative Darren Beadman said pure determination to prevail got Comedy first over the line.

“Due to his professionalism and his will-to-win, he was able to get the job done,” he said.

“He is very mature in the mind and has a lot of scope about him. I really liked the way he knuckled down and attacked the line. He was very strong late and ran up to his trials.”

Comedy, a Godolphin homebred, is out of the Group 3-placed Thalia (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), also dam of the Exceed And Excel stakes winners Aquitaine and Bacchanalia.