Stallions

New Group winner for Not A Single Doubt

From South Africa comes news of Not A Single Doubt ‘s latest Group winner, Castlethorpe who proved too strong in yesterday’s Kenilworth Winter Guineas 1600m G3.

Bred by Frank Meduri from Park Heiress, a Sadler’s Wells three-quarter-sister to champion European colt New Approach, Castlethorpe was purchased for $50,000 from the Blue Gum Farm draft at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale. He is bred on the same cross as Not A Single Doubt’s 2YO stakeswinner Single Spice (from a Galileo mare) and Group-placed 3YO son Spirited Eagle (from a Carnegie mare).

Pictured: Castlethorpe as a yearling. (PHOTO: Courtesy of Inglis & Blue Gum Farm)

The buyer was champion South African trainer Mike Bass, who part-owns the 3YO gelding with Lionel Cohen & Robert Bloomberg, and said on his website before yesterday’s race that “[Castlethorpe’s] work has been very good and we expect a big run from him here, although the wide draw of 16 is a worry.”

Castlethorpe duly won by a length from Lake Arthur, with Abington a further 1.5 lengths away third, in a time of 1.37.99. It was Castlethorpe’s fourth win in 11 starts and confirmed the promise he had shown last spring when he won twice, and ran third in last October’s Durbanville Matchem S. G3. Following his unplaced performances at Group 1 level, Castlethorpe was gelded and returned last month to win at Durbanville.

As can be seen from his photograph as a yearling, Castlethorpe is very much in the mould of Not A Single Doubt, whose season has been little short of sensational. He has now assembled six stakeswinners in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa & Singapore from his first three crops, all of them successful in 2010/11, and is attracting a steady stream of bookings at his 2011 service fee of $24,750 (inc. GST).