Debut Hawkesbury Winner for Castelvecchio

Tara Madgwick - Tuesday June 25

The two year-old maiden over 1400m at Hawkesbury on Tuesday had a heavily backed favourite in Tassort colt Sacred Fort, but he came up short finishing second to a first starter by Castelvecchio.

Trained by Annabel Neasham and ridden by Chad Schofield, Verona’s Cleopatra had two recent trials in preparation for her debut and showed natural pace to settle with the leaders and then when she wanted to race keenly was allowed to slide to the front.

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Verona’s Cleopatra relaxed after that and gave a good kick to the line, holding off Sacred Fort to win by a length in a good performance for a first starter over 1400m.

Retained to race by her breeder Malcolm Russell, Verona’s Cleopatra is the sixth winner from six foals to race from terrific producer Cleo’s Raine, an unraced three-quarter sister by Redoute’s Choice to Group III winner Egyptian Symbol from Group I winner Our Egyptian Raine.

She is the second winner from 16 starters for Castelvecchio, who is also the sire of stakes-placed El Castello.

Castelvecchio

The dual Group I winning son of Dundeel stands at Arrowfield Stud at the fee of $22,000.

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Race Result - HRC Motel Mdn Hcp 1400m

Hawkesbury Track: Soft(7) Time: 1:25.58
1
Verona's Cleopatra
- 2f Castelvecchio (AUS) x Cleo's Raine (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: C Schofield 55
2
1
Sacred Fort
- 2c Tassort (AUS) x Tanita (AUS) (Churchill Downs (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: J R Collett 59
3
1.2
Inception
- 2g Russian Revolution (AUS) x Imaginative (AUS) (Bianconi (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Tom Sherry 56
4
2.3
Rampazetto
- 2c Written By (AUS) x Ruby Flo (AUS) (Star Witness (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: K Mc Evoy 56
5
2.6
Ta Set Neferu
- 2f American Pharoah (USA) x Finally (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: T S Howlett Rdr: Ms M Weir 55
6
3.9
Dynamic Legend
- 2f Snitzel (AUS) x Saavoya (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: L J Bridge Rdr: Reece Jones 55
7
4.3
Memphis Tennessee
- 2c Pierro (AUS) x Aretha (NZ) (Charm Spirit (IRE))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: Tyler Schiller 57
8
6.1
Glitterscript
- 2f Written By (AUS) x Sparkle (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: R & L Price Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 57.5
9
6.6
Customized
- 2c Capitalist (AUS) x Single Sapphire (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: P & P Snowden Rdr: Tommy Berry 59
10
8.2
Stallone
- 2c Extreme Choice (AUS) x Good Looking Mare (AUS) (Medaglia D'oro (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: A B Collett 56.5
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