Tommy Berry’s strategic choice to curtail his holiday and partner Castillo King at Warwick Farm has been rewarded handsomely, with the colt making a sensational debut.
The prominent Sydney jockey had not been in the saddle since the Tattersall’s Tiara meeting at Eagle Farm on June 27 and was originally scheduled to recommence riding this weekend.
However, upon discovering that the Farnan colt, Castillo King, was slated to compete in Wednesday’s Racing And Sports Plate (1100m), Berry swiftly revised his plans.
“I probably wasn’t going to come back until Saturday, but when I saw him in I didn’t want to forgo that ride,” Berry explained.
“He’s a smart colt. He’s got a great attitude, and he will appreciate getting over a little bit further. He was out of his comfort zone the whole way trying to hold that box seat, but I loved what I saw late.
“Now the pressure is off, he’s done it, and he ran good time. He was put under really good pressure, so the sky is the limit.”
Bred and trained by Michael Freedman, a specialist in two-year-olds, Castillo King was an $180,000 acquisition from the Inglis Classic Sale.
Michael Freedman’s stable representative, Sophie Johnson, noted that the young horse had displayed considerable talent from the outset and performed admirably to defeat several more seasoned competitors, notably runner-up Eviction Notice, who had previously placed in the Silver Slipper.
“We knew Eviction Notice was going to be a bit tricky. Being one of Gai’s (trainer Gai Waterhouse’s) and with Rachel (King) on board, it’s speed all the way, and a few others had some runs under their belts as well,” Johnson stated.
“It was really good to see. He’s been a professional horse from day one. He’s not a problem being a colt, and he handles himself really well.”
Johnson confirmed that the Listed Rosebud (1100m) at Rosehill on August 15 is being considered for Castillo King, assuming he recovers well from his winning run.
“All being well. It’s definitely a race that’s on the cards for him but it can go anyway with horses,” she commented.
The $2 favourite, Castillo King, showed great determination to reach the finish line, securing a victory by 3-1/4 lengths over Eviction Notice ($2.60). Maritime Magnate ($21) finished a further three-quarters of a length behind in third.
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