John Thompson is pleased to be initiating El Castello’s latest racing campaign with a clean slate, holding quiet optimism that the Group 1 winner still has more to offer on the track.
It has been a trying period for those involved with the five-year-old, who announced himself among the elite horses of his generation with a victory in the 2024 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and a fifth placing in the 2024 Victoria Derby (2500m).
Unable to consistently fulfil his early potential as a colt, he was gelded during his last preparation, but the procedure did not yield an immediate positive outcome in his sole subsequent start.
Now, after a period of recuperation in the paddock, Thompson reports that El Castello is exhibiting promising signs that he is keen to race again.
“He was gelded in work and for mine, it never works and didn’t,” Thompson said. “But being spelled, he was put out in a big paddock with three or four other horses and allowed to just be a horse and get back to nature. He’s come back, and his attitude is so much better. He’s just a normal horse now. His trials have been good. A couple of top jockeys have ridden him in the trials and at trackwork and all three have said he feels like he’s in great shape and ready to go.”
El Castello makes his comeback in a highly competitive renewal of the Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday, a race featuring seven Group 1 winners among the eight runners.
Thompson expects the 1400-metre distance to be below El Castello’s best but is eager to see a strong performance that confirms the horse’s recent favourable showings in training.
“I think he needs to get to a mile, 2000 myself,” he stated. “The 1400 will be too short. He’s fresh and he normally runs well fresh, but I just want to see him run well and he’ll improve off the back of it.”
Thompson is anticipating a significant improvement from Screen Icon in the Furious Stakes (1200m), following her effort where she raced handy to the speed before tiring when midfield in the Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) first-up.
He mentioned that the filly will be ridden with more restraint by new jockey Nash Rawiller this weekend, allowing her a chance to finish the race strongly.
“I want her ridden a bit quieter,” Thompson said. “She’s got a good draw for once on Saturday so she’s going to get a lot better run. It should set up well for her, and we’ll know where we’re at.”
With the Tramway Stakes just around the corner, punters might want to check out Australian betting sites for the latest racing odds.
