Stakes Quinella for Almanzor

Tara Madgwick - Saturday May 6

The Listed Newmarket Stakes (1m2) run overnight in the UK produced a stakes quinella for Cambridge Stud shuttler Almanzor (Fr) with the race won by an expensive yearling purchase for Godolphin in Castle Way.

Bought for 425,000 guineas at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Castle Way is a half-brother to five time Group I winner and Champion Miler Palace Pier, who covered his first book of mares in Australia for Darley last spring.

Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Castle Way was having his first run of the year following a juvenile season that saw him win two of four starts, albeit not in stakes company.

He scored a comfortable length and three-quarter win over the another Almanzor colt in Circle of Fire, who was bred by The Queen and runs for King Charles. The favourite Victory Dance (Dubawi), a stablemate of the winner finished third.

“You couldn’t split Castle Way and Victory Dance that much at home, apart from the fact that Castle Way had proven himself over the trip. William [Buick] has always been a fan of this horse on the track and at home, which is why he sided with him,” said Charlie Appleby.

Advertisement

“We will speak with connections, but I would imagine that we will look towards the G2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. We ran him at Epsom last year and he didn’t like the track.”

The runner-up Circle of Fire also holds an entry for Royal Ascot as well as for the Epsom Derby.

Castle Way is the fifth winner from six to race out of Beach Frolic, an unraced half-sister to Group winners Bonfire and Joviality.

He becomes the ninth stakes-winner for Almanzor, who is priced this spring at $55,000 followign a good season where he has had four Group I performed three year-olds in Australasia headed by Victoria Derby winner Manzoice.

Almanzor shuttles to Cambridge Stud.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Henry Longfellow Pedigree Gets an Update
Group I winning Dubawi stallion Henry Longfellow (IRE) is covering his first Australian book of mares at Rosemont Stud this spring and overnight in Ireland his two year-old sister-in-blood landed her first Group race win.
Premier Racing Stables for Sale in New Zealand
A unique opportunity to get a foothold in the heart of thoroughbred country in New Zealand has arisen offering both functionality and prestige within an ideal base to pursue racing success in the leading equine region in the country.
G1 Champions Mile Next for Ceolwulf
Trainer Joe Pride will likely keep stable star Ceolwulf to a mile as he looks to round off his spring campaign with a first trip away.
Magic Millions - The Book
The famous US sports journo, Red Smith, once proclaimed that : “writing is easy … I just sit down at my typewriter and open a vein”.
2025 G1 Spring Champion – Pedigree Preview
A lot of attention is paid to the sprinting three year-old division and much less so to the stayers, but with $2million in prizemoney the Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on Saturday has attracted a full field of 14 and all of them are on trial at the trip.
First Win for $2.1million Magic Millions Sale-Topper
It was a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at Te Aroha on Wednesday when Avantaggia, the filly that topped the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, broke through for her maiden win in the Donaghys Moxipor (1150m).
End Of An Era - 2025 G1 Cox Plate
“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still” - Franklin D Roosevelt.
Pier Headed to Melbourne
Following his pleasing third placing in last Saturday’s A$5 million Gr.1 King Charles III Stakes (1609m) at Randwick, trainers Darryn and Briar Weatherley have decided to head south with Pier to test his talent in Melbourne.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday October 21
Here is the full list of 15 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
2025 G1 Cox Plate Field and Barrier Draw
A field of nine has been finalised for the 2025 Cox Plate with favourite Via Sistina drawing gate seven for Chris Waller and James McDonald, while one three-year-old has accepted to run in Nepotism.