Castelvecchio adds his 5th stakeswinner

Castelvecchio’s breakthrough season continues apace after landing his 5th stakeswinner, 3YO Comanche Miss, winner of Saturday’s $120,000 SAJC Clare Lindop S. 1600m LR at Morphettville.

Despite her maiden status, the Arrowfield-bred-&-raced filly started favourite on the back of several solid efforts, including a runner-up finish in Listed company at Flemington last Spring, and a close second at Pakenham first-up this campaign. 

She is the 18th individual Arrowfield graduate stakeswinner this season, and the 7th this month, after Group 1 winner Lady Shenandoah, Group 2 winner Lazzura, Group 3 winners Jennilala, Skyhook & Verona Rose and Hong Kong Derby LR winner Cap Ferrat. 

Trained by Phillip Stokes, Comanche Miss will now be aimed at the $1 million Australasian Oaks G1 on 26 April.

Comanche Miss tops off a huge twenty minutes for @pstokesracing, winning the Listed Clare Lindop Stakes under a perfect @LNeindorf steer 👏

The now black-type winning daughter of Castelvecchio was a seven-start maiden before today 😯 pic.twitter.com/gBghL11dzQ

— Racing.com (@Racing) March 29, 2025

Assistant trainer Kerrin Stokes said, “She’s arrived to Adelaide in super order, it was a great ride by Lachie.

“She was a maidener up until now, it’s terrific to get a stakes win for Arrowfield. At this stage we’ll look at the Auraria (Stakes) in two weeks and then two weeks into the Oaks, she’ll stay here and we’ll give it a crack.”

Always a good style of filly, Comanche Miss is out of the fine racemare Ocean Challenger (by Rubiton), winner of 8 races including the Tesio S. G3, and the dam of five other winners including Perth stakeswinner Super Maxi (by Redoute’s Choice). 

Comanche Miss was offered by Arrowfield at Magic Millions Gold Coast, but did not reach her $150,000 reserve and so she carries the Stud’s Black & Yellow Diamonds silks. Her mother was sold in 2022 as part of Arrowfield’s Reduction Sale on Inglis Digital and is now owned by her trainer Darren Magro, for whom she has left the unraced 2YO Ullrich (by Pariah) and a yearling filly by Admire Mars.

Castelvecchio is making his mark in a quality cohort of 2nd Season Sires with 8.6% SW/Runners, including El Castello (Spring Champion S. G1) and Group-winning fillies Verona Rose (contesting Tuesday’s re-scheduled Vinery Stud S. G1 at Rosehill) and Aeliana (a close 2nd in the Rosehill Guineas G1 and among the favourites for next Saturday’s Australian Derby G1).  

Castelvecchio’s 2025 yearlings have averaged 4 times his third season fee, with a top price of $290,000 paid by Star Thoroughbreds & Randwick Bloodstock for Arrowfield’s Magic Millions colt out of Romalette.

There are no Castelvecchio yearlings on offer at the upcoming Inglis Easter Sale, but there are 9 colts by his sire Dundeel, four of them in Arrowfield’s draft including the full brother to Super Seth – like Castelvecchio, a Group 1 winner & now a Group 1 sire.