El Castello Wins G3 Gloaming -First SW Castelvecchio

Tara Madgwick - Saturday October 12

Anthony Cummings is never frightened to set the bar high for a promising horse and when Castelvecchio three year-old El Castello broke his maiden at Warwick Farm at the start of September his trainer was talking G1 Spring Champion Stakes and that goal is well and truly on track.

El Castello wins the G3 Gloaming Stakes - image Steve Hart

El Castello won his next start in a Benchmark 72 handicap at Randwick over 1600m and then stepped up to the $500,000 Group III ATC Gloaming Stakes over 1800m on Saturday at Rosehill and took another giant step forward.

Ridden by Josh Parr, El Castello hit the front with 100m to run and was strong right through the line kicking clear to win by two lengths over the favourite Swiftfalcon taking his overall record to three wins and two placings from six starts with prizemoney topping $460,000.

“Today is the first time he’s shown himself properly and professionally and I think her will be better at 2000m and better when we go to Melbourne,” said Anthony Cummings, who won the 2012 Victoria Derby with El Castello’s close relation Fiveandahalfstar.

El Castello’s sire Castelvecchio won the Group I ATC Champagne Stakes at two and was then second in both the ATC Spring Champion Stakes and Cox Plate before returning in the autumn to win the Group I ATC Rosehill Guineas, so you can see why Anthony Cummings has set him on this path.

Advertisement

El Castello was bred and sold by Cambridge stud fetching $220,000 at Magic Millions.

A $220,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Cambridge Stud draft, El Castello was also bred by Brendan and Jo Lindsay and is the first winner from Word Games, a metro winning half-sister by Fastnet Rock to dual Group I winner Fiveandahalfstar, who was also bred and trained by Anthony Cummings to win the Victoria Derby and The BMW.

It’s a family Cummings knows well and El Castello looks a great chance to write his own chapter of success.

Word Games has a yearling filly by the Cambridge Stud based Almanzor (FR) and has foaled this spring producing another filly by the same sire.

El Castello is the first stakes-winner for Castelvecchio , who stands alongside his sire Dundeel at Arrowfield Stud at a fee of $22,000.

Advertisment

Race Result - TAB Gloaming Stakes Gr3 1800m

Rosehill Track: Good(4) Time: 1:49.16
1
El Castello
- 3c Castelvecchio (AUS) x Word Games (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: A J Cummings Rdr: J Parr 56.5
2
1.8
Swiftfalcon
- 3g Exceedance (AUS) x Tempting Delight (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: J Ford 56.5
Exceedance
3
1.9
Firm Agreement
- 3g Yes Yes Yes (AUS) x Money Magic (AUS) (So You Think (NZ))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Rdr: Tom Sherry 56.5
Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale $0
Seller: Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains
Buyer: Passed In - Reserve: $100,000
Inglis Australian Weanling Sale $0
Seller: Coolmore Stud, Jerrys Plains
Buyer: Withdrawn
4
2.5
Rag Queen
- 3f D'argento (AUS) x Victory Day (AUS) (Domesday (AUS))
Tnr: David Payne Rdr: C Schofield 54.5
5
3.7
Tenbury Wells
- 3c Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Dowager Queen (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: Tyler Schiller 56.5
6
4.5
Henlein
- 3c Dundeel (NZ) x Time Awaits (AUS) (Nicconi (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: Tommy Berry 56.5
7
5.5
Cristal Clear
- 3c Exceedance (AUS) x Cristal Eyes (AUS) (All Too Hard (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Rdr: Tim Clark 56.5
8
6
Kosuke
- 3c The Autumn Sun (AUS) x Inchita (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: G McFarlane Rdr: A Hyeronimus 56.5
9
6
Due Calzini
- 3g D'argento (AUS) x Terminally Pretty (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: Danielle Seib Rdr: Reece Jones 56.5
10
6.6
Duvana
- 3c Dundeel (NZ) x Stay With Me (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: K Mc Evoy 56.5
11
8.7
San Gabriel
- 3g Savabeel (AUS) x Pasadena (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Rdr: N Rawiller 56.5
12
10.6
Okami Star
- 3g Justify (USA) x Fatal Rendezvous (AUS) (All American (AUS))
Tnr: C E Conners Rdr: S Clipperton 56.5
More Reading...
Briasa Boost as More Youngsters Impress on HIT Sale Eve
The timing couldn’t be better for a sale page's pedigree boost, with Briasa announcing himself as one of Australia’s most exciting sprinters following his dominant victory in Saturday’s $1 million Group Two Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday October 7
Here is the full list of 25 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Castelvecchio Colt Wins G1 Spring Champion Stakes
El Castello’s sire Castelvecchio won the Group I ATC Champagne Stakes at two and was then second in both the ATC Spring Champion Stakes and Cox Plate before returning in the autumn to win the Group I ATC Rosehill Guineas, so it only seems fitting that his first Group I winner should arrive in a race like the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).
MM Gold Coast Horses In Training Sale Links
Tuesday saw the final breeze ups at the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions Horses In Training Sale which starts on Thursday so here’s our links to useful data including the pinhook report, with most lots having been sold previously.
Gimcrack Winner Bred By Cornerstone
THE "BACKSLAPPING" in the backwaters of the Barossa on Saturday afternoon, paled into insignificance when compared to the celebrations of the connections of SHIKI that won on debut!
Sword of State 2YO Ready for Debut
A pair of promising youngsters are set to make their debut for Cambridge trainer Chad Ormsby at Avondale on Wednesday, but track conditions may scupper plans for one of them.
Spring Stakes Goals for El Castello
Anthony Cummings is never frightened to set the bar high for a promising horse and his Castelvecchio three year-old El Castello kicked his spring campaign off with a maiden win at Warwick Farm on Wednesday that is likely to pave the way for a return to stakes class.
National Thoroughbred Week invites support through GoFundMe campaign
National Thoroughbred Week (NTW) is calling on the thoroughbred community and broader public to be part of history, with the launch of a GoFundMe campaign to help bring this inaugural celebration to life.
2025 G1 Caulfield Guineas Field and Barrier Draw
A full field plus emergencies have accepted for the $3million Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on Saturday with Golden Rose runners Wodeton, Autumn Boy, Nepotism and Rivellino all engaged.