El Castello has form around the pronounced favourite for the Caulfield Guineas and a colt many consider a leading Cox Plate contender, but that has not stopped Anthony Cummings from pinpointing an off-Broadway start to the campaign.
The son of Castelvecchio will have his first start as a three-year-old in Wednesday’s $100,000 TAB Maiden Handicap at Warwick Farm.
The 1400-metre event will be his first start since finishing last in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) won by Broadsiding, but he finished second to that galloper in the Listed Fernhill Stakes (1600m) at his start prior in a formline Cummings hopes will stand up.
“He looks great and I’m very pleased with him,” Cummings said of El Castello.
“His form behind Broadsiding looks a bit clever right now.”
After the Champagne Stakes, Broadsiding campaigned in Brisbane where he won the Group 2 BRC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) and the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m).
El Castello has trialled twice at Randwick in preparation for his return, finishing fourth on both occasions, first over 1050m on August 19 and then over 1045m last Friday.
Despite the Broadsiding form, El Castello is a $26 chance for the TAB Maiden Handicap, in which he has 61.5kg and will be ridden by Josh Parr with the pair to jump from barrier 10.
It will be the start of a campaign that is being geared around the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on October 26.
“He’s got a couple of benchmark races he will go through on his way to the Gloaming and we’ll get into Stakes grade there,” Cummings said.
“The Gloaming into the Spring Champion Stakes and we will see what Melbourne might hold for him after that.”
The $500,000 Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) will be run at Rosehill on October 12.