El Castello all set for Spring Champion

Nine times out of 10, a hard-luck story horse who flies home for second will be better fancied than the victor at their next head-to-head clash.

Gun Sydney three-year-olds El Castello and Swiftfalcon ran 1-2 in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1,800m) at Rosehill on Oct 12, but some believe the order could have been reversed if their barriers (five and nine) had been swopped.

The runner-up was to his trainer Michael Hawkes – who trains in partnership with brother Wayne and father John – two pairs further than he should have been because of the wide alley.

He also rued the traffic in the home straight, but was overall chuffed with the booming run from the son of Exceedance under regular partner Jay Ford to finish only 1.82 length off El Castello.

In contrast, the winner enjoyed a softer run in transit for jockey Josh Parr – fifth one-off the rails before quickening home without having to dig too deep.

The Gloaming form lines up well for the A$2 million (S$1.8 million) Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2,000m), the last Group 1 event of the Sydney Spring Carnival on Oct 26, which may well also crown the champion 3yo.

Unsurprisingly, most were taken by Swiftfalcon’s late swoop in spite of all the difficulties he had to endure. He has been installed as the favourite at around 5-2, while El Castello is a notch behind at 3-1 in early markets.

El Castello’s trainer Anthony Cummings for one is not distracted by all the “what if’s”.

To the son of the legendary Bart Cummings, his colt won fair and square. If anything, his assertion that the horse “throttled down” late makes Swiftfalcon’s dash look flattering.

Still, what gets his undivided attention is the task to get the son of Castelvecchio to reproduce the same run over another 200m.

Apart from Flying Argento – third over 2,125m at his last start – the other 10 Spring Champion contenders will also be at their first time beyond 1,800m.

On breeding, with Castelvecchio a Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2,000m) winner, he should stay, but Cummings would rather trust his eyes than depend on a lineage which he is not fully versed in.

“He’s a pretty straightforward colt. Castelvecchio is a new breed, this horse is among his first season three-year-olds,” said Cummings.

“We have two at the races (by him) so far for two winners. Hopefully, we have some nice horses (by him) at the next sales.

“We had some learning to do about what suits them as a breed, We’ve done that, and we’re getting the results off the back of that.

“He did a really good job in the Gloaming. He’s learned his craft from race to race, the other day was the first time he really got his act together when he came away from the back of horses afield, and he was quite impressive.

“He still throttled down at the line, but he was all clear.”

The fact that Cummings has not fully turned the screws down can only give an idea of the untapped potential waiting to be showcased.

“I basically used the races as a training gallop. He’s always fit and ready, he’s won three from three,” said Cummings.

“He hasn’t had a whole lot of pressure put on him yet. He’s had one serious gallop since he ran the other day, and that was today (Randwick on Oct 22).

“He came through that really well, ran a nice time, did it comfortably and he pulled up quite well.

“He was really good this morning – as he has been pretty much every day since that run. This race will bring him on again.”

Without jumping the gun, the Australian trainer might already have an inkling where to next after the Spring Champion – should El Castello run another blinder.

“This race will bring him on with a view of perhaps going to Melbourne for the Derby the week after,” said Cummings, who won the three-year-old classic in 2012 with Fiveandahalfstar.

The A$2 million Group 1 race over 2,500m, to be run at Flemington on Nov 2, is traditionally raced on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup (Nov 5).

manyan@sph.com.sg