Castanya holds nominations for all the top-two-year-old races and can earn a guaranteed spot in the Golden Slipper on Saturday week with a win in the $250,000 Group III Cincotta Chemist Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Making a case for Annabel Neasham-trained filly on form is not hard. Having finished second to the unbeaten Switzerland on debut at Randwick, the daughter of Capitalist was a fast-finishing winner of the Listed Lonhro Plate at Randwick, defeating the talented I Am Invincible colt's Embassy and Anode.
Bred by Gooree Stud, Castanya was a $300,000 Magic Millions purchase for her trainer from the Newgate Farm draft and runs for a big group of owners, including Frank And Christine Cooks Mystery Downs, in whose colours she runs.
The strapping chestnut filly is a half-sister to Group III ATC PJ Bell Handicap winner Tempt Me Not (Strategic Maneuver)
She is the fifth winner from Ganda, a 4-start maiden by Encosta de Lago, and a half-sister to the dams of Group II ATC Skyline Stakes winner Good Standing (Artie Schiller) and the Listed Ipswich Cup winner Smart Meteor (Smart Missile).
Ganda is a daughter of Gooree Stud's outstanding dual Group I winning filly Tempest Morn.
It has been noted previously that Tempest Morn takes her place among the toughest 3-year-old fillies of recent times.
How's this for a punishing schedule? The Gai Waterhouse trained daughter of Thunder Gulch (USA) finished fourth at Kembla Grange on January 6 2001, won at Rosehill on January 17, third at Rosehill February 19, won Randwick February 25, fourth Gr 1 Canterbury Guineas March 17, won Gr 1 Ansett Stakes Rosehill April 7, second Gr 1 AJC Oaks Randwick April 21, won Gr 1 Australasian Oaks Morphettville May 5, second Gr 1 SA Oaks Morphettville May 19, second Gr 1 Qld Oaks Eagle Farm June 2, and second Gr 1 Qld Derby June 9.
Tempest Morn is the best of 16 named foals out of Gooree Stud's imported Akureyri mare, Palm Beach Deb (USA). She is a half-sister to dual Listed stakes-winner Palm Beach Babe (Squill) and to the Vain mare Vain Deb.
Unplaced in two starts, Vain Deb is the dam of Tempest Morn's three-quarter sister Pasikatera, winner of five stakes races highlighted by the Group III AJC Breeders' Classic. The daughter of Thunder Gulch died after producing three foals, the first of which was the Listed SAJC Manihi Classic winner Planet Voyage (Exceed And Excel).
Pasikatera's sister Flamboyance (Snowland) is the dam of the Group II BRC Sires' Produce Stakes winner Attention.
Newgate sold a yearling Russian Revolution colt from Ganda to Annabel Neasham for $150,000 at Magic Millions this year. The mare has a filly to follow by Extreme Choice and is back in foal to him again.
On behalf of the Newgate/ Gooree Joint Venture, Newgate Farn consigns an Extreme Choice colt out of Castanya's half-sister Tempt Me Not to the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale (Lot 343).
With Holmes A Court's win in last Sunday's Group III Black Opal Stakes, Capitalist joins Snitzel with three stakes-winning 2-year-olds.
The Newgate Farm resident has an each-way chance in the Group III Pago Pago Stakes with the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained King of Roseau. At the same time, Annabel Neasham saddles the Capitalist colt Sky Cap in the Listed Redoute's Choice Stakes at Caulfield.
