Promising stayer El Castello is on target to back-up in the Victoria Derby after capping his rise from maiden winner to Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes hero in less than two months.
The classic has long been the main mission for the three-year-old this campaign and provided he shows no signs of wear from Saturday’s Randwick performance, trainer Anthony Cummings confirmed he would take his place at Flemington.
“Standing here today the decision is yes,” Cummings said.
“We’ve got to get him home and make sure that he is OK and tick a fair few boxes before we do that.
“That was the plan. The preparation was set up so that today’s race would give him the step to go to the Derby and it looks like that will happen.”
Runner-up to Broadsiding in the Fernhill Handicap (1600m) during the autumn, El Castello has been a revelation this spring.
Resuming with a narrow maiden win at Warwick Farm in September, he progressed to a Midway Handicap at Randwick before claiming the Gloaming Stakes last start.
The colt extended his unbeaten streak to four in Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick, Josh Parr keeping his cool when a couple of runners pushed up inside him early and again when Zac Lloyd on Flying Argento made a mid-race move.
Parr stuck to his own race plan, waiting until the top of the straight to unleash El Castello ($3 fav) and the Castelvecchio colt fended off the bid of Henlein ($5) by a neck with Firm Agreement ($21) 1-1/2 lengths away third.
“The race got a little bit messy at one point,” Cummings said.
“The horse coped with it really well, Josh coped with it really well, he didn’t get flustered. He produced him at the right time and as is his habit, he (El Castello) was very strong through the line.”
It is the third time Cummings has won the Spring Champion after claiming it in successive years with Hotel Grand and Teranaba in 2005-06.
He also trained Fiveandahalfstar to win the 2012 Victoria Derby and believes El Castello is of similar quality.
“Today, he is the best one,” Cummings said.
“Fiveandahalfstar came through and won the BMW after his Derby win. I think this guy is at least equal to that, but he is a sharper individual. I think you could nearly train him for whatever you wanted to.”
Parr is booked to ride El Castello in the Derby and has no doubt he can run the 2500m strongly.
“As long as he backs up OK, it looks like the Derby trip will be alright. He’s just got the perfect attitude for it,” Parr said.
El Castello is a $3.50 Victoria Derby 2024 favourite.
Swiftfalcon started a $3.90 online betting sites second pick in the Spring Champion and finished sixth, jockey Jay Ford saying he failed to see out a strong 2000m.
