The famed Joie Denise family delivered another Group winner for John Singleton at Caulfield on Saturday when Snitzel gelding Castlereagh Kid carried his colours to victory in the Group II MRC Autumn Classic (1800m).
A lightly raced three year-old prepared by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Castlereagh Kid finished second at his first two starts last spring , but since being gelded has reeled off three consecutive wins this year.
A natural front runner that settles into a rhythm, he did that today for Damien Oliver and relished the 1800m to kick on strongly and win by a length and a quarter and has now won three of five starts earning over $250,000 in prizemoney.
Gai Waterhouse was on course to greet Castlereagh Kid, who will have one more run in Melbourne before returning to Sydney for a tilt at the Group I ATC Australian Derby.
A homebred for John Singleton’s Strawberry Hill Stud that was passed in at Inglis Easter and retained, Castlereagh Kid is a half-brother to Group I placed Happy Hannah and is the best of four winners from Absolute Joy, a winning half-sister by Zabeel to Group I winner Tuesday Joy and Sunday Joy, the dam of champion mare More Joyous.
Absolute Joy produced a filly by Too Darn Hot (GB) last spring and was then covered by So You Think.
Castlereagh Kid is the 119th stakes-winner for champion sire Snitzel and is his sixth from a daughter of Zabeel.
