Jockey Tommy Berry’s choice to shorten his holiday and ride Castillo King at Warwick Farm has been vindicated, with the colt making a striking first appearance.
The leading Sydney rider had not been in action since the Tattersall’s Tiara meeting at Eagle Farm on June 27 and was not scheduled to resume riding until the upcoming weekend.
However, upon learning that the Farnan colt, Castillo King, was entered for the Racing And Sports Plate (1100m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, Berry swiftly altered 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 stated.
“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.”
Castillo King, a $180,000 purchase from the Inglis Classic Sale, is trained by Michael Freedman, renowned for his success with two-year-olds.
Michael Freedman’s stable representative, Sophie Johnson, commented that the youngster had displayed talent from the outset and performed admirably to overcome more experienced competitors, including the second-place finisher, Eviction Notice, who had previously secured a placing 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 explained.
“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 indicated that the Listed Rosebud (1100m) at Rosehill on August 15 would be a potential target for Castillo King, subject to his recovery from the victory.
“All being well. It’s definitely a race that’s on the cards for him but it can go anyway with horses,” she added.
Castillo King, the $2 favourite, finished strongly to win by 3-1/4 lengths. Eviction Notice ($2.60) finished second, with Maritime Magnate ($21) securing third place another three-quarters of a length behind.
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