Lightly raced filly Caste became the first Australian stakes-winner for Cornerstone Stud shuttler Sir Prancelot (IRE) and his fourteenth worldwide when capturing the Listed H C Nitschke Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Ridden by Jake Toeroek for Ben and JD Hayes, Caste defeated the fast-finishing favourite Royal Merchant (Merchant Navy) by a short-head with Miss Galore (Per Incanto) one and a quarter length back in third.
A last-start winner at Sandown, defeating the subsequent Auraria Stakes winner Jennilala, Caste advances her record to three wins and a second from five starts with earnings of $119,395.
It was the third winner for the Hayes brothers on the day at Morphettville.
“That was the first metro treble for me, JD and the team,” Ben Hayes said.
“We are thrilled. This was a target race, and great to get a result for the ownership group and my cousin Sam (Cornerstone Stud owner Sam Hayes).
“She won quite well and looked to be cruising, so we have a bit of thinking about where she goes next.
“We will think about the Oaks next week, but I will talk to the team. We have a great carnival here, so there are a lot of races for her.”
A $90,000 purchase for Lindsay Park Racing from the Cornerstone Stud draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, Caste is the best of five winners from seven to race for the winning Belong To Me (USA) mare Boat Quay.
A half-sister to Group III winner and Silverstream (Al Maher) and stakes winners Speedy Natalie (Al Maher) and Calandra (Snitzel), Boat Quay is a daughter of the Listed AJC Gimcrack Stakes winner Speedy Bell (Brocco).
The 2yo filly Splash Landing, a sister to Caste, was a $30,000 purchase for Grand Syndicates/John Price Bloodstock from the Cornerstone draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale.
Boat Quay died in July last year. Her final foal is a yearling sister to Caste.
