A Group I winner at two and three, Castelvecchio has gained some real momentum this spring as his oldest progeny have turned three and posted his third stakes-winner this month when lightly raced filly Double Market took out the $300,000 Group II MVRC Point Motors Fillies Classic (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Trained by the Lindsay Park team, Double Market won on debut at Ballarat over 1400m at the start of the month and took the big quantum leap when pitched straight into Group company at her second start.
Double Market surged into the race out wide for Mick Dee and was strong right through the line to win by a length and has now won $200,000 and change from her first two starts.
“She’s a horse we bought from the Magic Millions and we loved her, but she took a lot of time and was very immature and this is the first prep she’s actually held her condition, so to win a Group II on Cox Plate and get that really good Black Type is so important. Well done to all the connections!” said co-trainer Ben Hayes.
“They way she won today, yes, it wasn’t the strongest race, but she won well and was strong through the line so if she pulls up well we will definitely look at a race like the Thousand Guineas (G1).
“It was only her second start and there is good improvement to come.”
A $100,000 Magic Millions purchase from Bhima Thoroughbreds for Lindsay Park Racing, Double Market was bred by GSA Bloodstock and is the second winner from First Tier, a winning Redoute’s Choice mare, whose dam is a half-sister to Group I winner He’s No Pie Eater.
Double Market traces back to an iconic female family with her fourth dam Show Lady, the dam of celebrated import Dancing Show (USA), the dam of Group I winners Umatilla, Hurricane Sky and of course blue hen Shantha’s Choice.
Kilgravin Lodge will offer Lot 369 at the NZB Ready to Run Sale, a Castelvecchio gelding from First Tier. He breezed earlier this week galloping out a furlong in 10.38 seconds.
Double Market is the third stakes-winner for Castelvecchio, who stands at Arrowfield Stud at a fee of $22,000.