El Castello headlines a brilliant day for Arrowfield stallions
El Castello (Castelvecchio) wrote another chapter for a family his trainer Anthony Cummings knows so well as well as bringing a first Group 1 for his sire when he won the Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) on a glorious Saturday for Arrowfield Stud.
As tough as he is handsome, El Castello travelled up on the pace in second and third spot in a well-rated ride from Josh Parr, pushed to the front of the ten-horse field at the 300 metres, then powerfully held off the worthy challenge of Henlein (Dundeel) to score by 0.36 lengths, as $3 favourite.
He continued the recent surge for second season sire Castelvecchio (Dundeel) – who’s on the bottom rung of Arrowfield’s six-stallion roster at $22,000 (inc GST) – after becoming his first stakes winner two weeks ago.
That was followed by Castelvecchio’s second with Aeliana’s win in last week’s ATC Reginald Allen Stakes (Listed, 1400m).
And a couple of hours before the Spring Champion, Double Market became Castelvecchio’s third stakes winner in as many Saturdays by taking Moonee Valley’s Fillies Classic (Gr 2, 1600m).
Earning El Castello favouritism for this Saturday’s VRC Derby (Gr 1, 2500m), the Spring Champion victory also came on a red letter day for Arrowfield.
The stud’s four-time champion sire Snitzel had three Group 2 winners: at Randwick with Prost in the Callander-Presnell (Gr 2, 1400m), and at Moonee Valley with Bittercreek in the Red Anchor Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) and Baraqiel in the McEwen Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m).
For good measure the 22-year-old Snitzel also sired the winner of Sydney’s third two-year-old race of the season, with Godolphin homebred Comedy taking the Kirkham Plate.
And Castelvecchio’s sire Dundeel (High Chaparral) raised his 32nd stakes-winner when Red Aces took Moonee Valley’s Vase (Gr 2, 2040m), earning third-favouritism for the VRC Derby.
On top of this, Arrowfield also cheered a black-type winner in Japan by their shuttler sire Maurice (Screen Hero) in the shape of Danon McKinley in the Kyoto Swan Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m).
Who needs The Autumn Sun?
While that burgeoning sire is spending the spring recuperating from a pelvis injury, the rest of of Arrowfield’s roster is making hay.
None will be causing more excitement than the eight-year-old Castelvecchio.
Though a two-time Group 1 winner, one of his finer moments came on this day five years ago when a second placing in the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) earned him a rating as the world’s best three-year-old.
He’d also just run second in the Spring Champion Stakes, when it was run two weeks earlier than it is now. On Saturday, his finest son so far outdid the old man in that one, and in memorable style.
El Castello also brought up Cummings’ third Spring Champion Stakes, following back-to-back wins with Hotel Grand (Grand Lodge) in 2005 and Teranaba (Anabaa) in 2006.
And this 24th Group 1 success revived special memories for Cummings, who has a strong affiliation with El Castello’s wider family – stemming from his New Zealand Group 1-winning fifth dam Soliloquy (Sobig) – some members of which were trained by Cummings’ legendary father Bart.
Bred by Cambridge Stud’s Brendan Lindsay, El Castello is out of Word Games (Fastnet Rock), a winning mare trained and part-bred by Cummings. She’s a sister to the dam of Fiveandahalfstar (Hotel Grand), who Cummings bred and trained to two Group 1s victories as a three-year-old: The BMW (Gr 1, 2400m) and none other than the VRC Derby.
Little wonder Cummings admitted to wiping away a tear as El Castello returned to scale.
“Well, yeah. I mean, he’s a nice horse. We do it because we love the horses. Nice to see him do well,” he said.
“He’s just a very good horse. The preparation went perfectly, everything worked out. He turned up the best horse today and I still think he improves again.
“It’s a dumb thing to say, I know, but if I had to pick a fault today he’s maybe half a run short but today’s race into next week, he’ll be fine. All to say, we’re in good shape.”
Bookmakers made El Castello a short $3 favourite for the Derby after the win. Cummings added a final decision on the quick back-up was yet to be made, but indicated his colt would most likely be Flemington-bound.
“Standing here today, the decision is yes,” he said. “But we’ve got to get him home and make sure that he’s OK and tick a fair few boxes before we do that.
“But that was the plan. The preparation was set up so that today’s race would give him the step to go to the Derby. Looks like that will happen.”
Cummings praised El Castello for keeping calm when longshot Flying Argento (D’Argento) swept past on his outside, sparking up leader Noises (Microphone), in a bold though ultimately fruitless run at the 800 metres.
“The race got a bit messy at one point, the horse coped with it really well and Josh coped with it really well. He didn’t get flustered. He produced him at the right time and, as is his habit, he’s very strong through the line,” Cummings said.
Parr described a “thrilling” ride in which El Castello showed tremendous fight to provide his 11th Group 1.
“The two [leaders] took off and I just said, ‘No, not just yet my man, let’s just wait’. I was able to wait,” Parr said.
“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.
“Henlein obviously came to him and he knuckled down and his last furlong was so strong. Incredible training performance and I’m so proud to be a part of it.”
El Castello emphatically won his return battle with the horse he’d beaten into second the start before in the Gloaming Stakes (Gr 3, 1800m). Team Hawkes’s Swiftfalcon (Exceedance), the $3.80 second favourite, settled near the tail from a wide gate but could make little ground in the straight, eventually finishing sixth, beaten 3.36 lengths.
Anthony and Sam Freedman’s Henlein earned a second dash of black type after a Group 2 second two starts earlier. Firm Agreement (Yes Yes Yes) stayed on well for a son of an Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) winner to take third, 1.78 lengths off El Castello.
Bought by Cummings from Cambridge Stud’s draft at Magic Millions Gold Coast for $220,000, El Castello is Word Games’s second and best of four foals.
While his year-younger half-sister by Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) was sadly lost, Word Games now has a yearling filly by Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) who Cambridge will sell next year, and a younger sister born earlier this month.
In winning Saturday’s Group 1, El Castello became Fastnet Rock’s 14th Group 1 winner as a broodmare sire. Crowned champion broodmare sire for the first time last season, Fastnet Rock is in pole position to retain that accolade this season.