Lot 1 at Inglis Classic 2023 happens to be a first-crop yearling by Castelvecchio. It’s apt because he is himself a star graduate of the Sale, bought for $150,000 from Arrowfield’s 2018 draft by Ottavio and Wendy Galletta.
Castelvecchio exploded onto the Sydney racing scene one evening in January 2019 with the kind of debut 2YO performance that owners dream about, making up ground from a forlorn last to burst out of the pack for an unforgettable win. From then on, he barely missed a beat. Three weeks later he became an instant millionaire at start number two with a similarly spectacular last-to-first effort in the $2 million Inglis Millennium RL.
Little more than two months after that, Castelvecchio was a 2YO Group 1 winner, powering past the top-class filly Loving Gaby in the Champagne Stakes at Randwick.
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At season-end, he headed Timeform’s Australian 2YO ratings with a figure of 121. Castelvecchio returned as a Spring 3YO to deliver one of the best performances by an Australian horse anywhere in the world during 2019, a stirring Cox Plate Gr1 second to Japan’s Horse of the Year Lys Gracieux, leaving Verry Elleegant, Te Akau Shark, Magic Wand & Mystic Journey in his wake. The following Autumn he signed off his racing career on top of his game, winning the Rosehill Guineas Gr1 and sharing the top spot on the 2019/20 Australian 3YO Classification.
Seven fillies and 3 colts by Castelvecchio fit the new generation theme of Arrowfield’s 2023 Inglis Classic draft, which also features yearlings by young sires Shalaa and Pariah (both responsible for Group-winning 2YOs in 2022), and Showtime and The Autumn Sun.
Four lots by Champion Sires Snitzel and Written Tycoon add spice to the consignment, while buyers looking for another Castelvecchio will find 6 yearlings by his multiple Group 1 sire Dundeel.
Back in 2018 Arrowfield’s pre-sale picks of their Classic draft included Castelvecchio, whose description proved to be spot-on: “a lovely mover with scope for development.”
Which makes Bloodstock Manager Jon Freyer’s 2023 Classic draft selections worthy of serious attention! He begins with Lot 471, the Castelvecchio-Helena Girl colt: “He’s a quality, correct, athletic colt with plenty of length and substance, and he’s very much like his sire
at the same stage.”
Lot 56, Shalaa-Shabaia filly – “A medium-sized, good-looking filly with plenty of substance, lovely depth, shoulder and a nice hind leg. True to type of the best Shalaas.”
Lot 238, Pariah-Allariza colt – “A precocious, powerful type, with a great hip and plenty of natural muscle. In the mould of his stakes-winning brother Azazel, he looks fast.”
Lot 249, The Autumn Sun-Aquarium colt – “A well-balanced, strong, quality colt,
with an athletic physique. More of a three year-old Classic type, but very stylish and has a nice walk.”
Lot 506, Dundeel-Jemison colt – “Strong, attractive, rangy type from an outstanding producer. Plenty of size and scope with a lovely head and an easy walk.”
Lot 574, Written Tycoon-Lures colt – “Attractively marked and from a fabulous Arrowfield family. He has a lovely front-end and is very well-balanced.”