Trainer Richard Litt can now look forward to a honeymoon after his three-year-old Castelvecchio finished a gallant second to star Japanese mare Lys Gracieux in the Cox Plate at The Valley.
Litt had arrived in Melbourne to prepare Castelvecchio for the Cox Plate after the colt’s last start second in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick on October 12 before marrying fiancee Laura last weekend.
Under Craig Williams, Castelvecchio led into the home straight, but could not withstand the late surge of the favourite Lys Gracieux, beaten 1-1/2 lengths.
It was a fly-in, fly-out affair for Litt for his wedding day and he returned to Melbourne to concentrate on preparing Castelvecchio for Saturday’s weight-for-age championship.
“I’ve signed my life away, life sentence, gone,” Litt joked.
“I flew in, flew out but this (running second) was massive.
“I’m very privileged to have a horse like him.”
Castelvecchio won the Group One Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old during the autumn and Litt is looking forward to next autumn with the three-year-old.
Litt said he favoured sending Castelvecchio for a spell and preparing him for a tilt at the Guineas races at Randwick and Rosehill.
He said the trip to Melbourne to prepare for Saturday’s race had helped Castelvecchio mentally grow up.
“It’s incredible the horse we have today compared to two weeks ago,” Litt said.
“He’s exciting and he could be a superstar in the autumn.
“We’re very proud of him. It was only his ninth start today so we’ve got a lot to look forward to.”
