Castelvecchio is locked and loaded for G1 success in the next 10 days with star mares Aeliana and Verona Rose set to contest Group I features and at Warwick Farm on Wednesday Joe Pride produced a debut winner for the sire in the $100,000 Super Maiden (1100m).
Three year-old gelding Castlejohn was easy in the market taking on some competitive rivals with racing experience, but was give a cool ride by Chad Schofield to stalk the favourites, who settled in front.
With a good education at the trials, Castlejohn knew what to do when asked to chase them down and proceeded to go straight past them winning by a long neck.
Joe Pride is renowned for his patient approach with horses and is already thinking to the future with Castlejohn not expected to peak until he is four, but winning a lucrative $100,000 Super Maiden is a nice way to kick off.
“He’s always shown a lot, but he's been a little bit delicate, and we've had to tip him out before going to the races on several occasions,” said Pride.
“It's nice to see him come here today and deliver on the promise. The best is definitely yet to come and he’s going to get much better as he gets older.
“There's a stack of improvement in this bloke, but it's not going to come overnight, it’s going to take time.
“He'll probably only have another run in this preparation and they we’ll look after him. I can see him training on to be a really nice four-and five-year-old and probably stretching out over a little bit of ground as well.”
A $140,000 Inglis Classic purchase from Riversdale Farm for Pride Racing, Castlejohn is a half-brother to Singapore stakes-winner Golden Monkey and is the third winner from Dixie’s Comet, a winning Northern Meteor mare from a US Black Type family.
