Sixth stakeswinner for Castelvecchio
Shangri La Spring's Frank Packer Plate G3 is the 9th black type prize on Castelvecchio's record this season. (PHOTO: Bronwen Healy)
Castelvecchio’s rise since El Castello’s Gloaming S. G3 victory on 12 October has been nothing short of spectacular and he’s not slowing down.
Neither did his Arrowfield graduate son Shangri La Spring who delivered on the promise of his three straight wins in November & December by dominating both ends of Saturday’s $250,000 Frank Packer Plate 2000m G3. Firm Agreement & a second Arrowfield graduate Plymouth (by The Autumn Sun) filled the placings, with odds-on favourite & twice Group 1-placed Swiftfalcon 4th.
Shangri La Spring is Castelvecchio’s 6th stakeswinner in just over 6 months and is aiming higher: his co-trainer Adrian Bott indicated that he will now target the $1 million Queensland Derby G1 on 31 May.
SHANGRI LA SPRING is SW6 from 61 rnrs for Castelvecchio in the Gr3 Frank Packer Plate
Dam SW Opportunity
His 7th dam Delleana also appears in Castelvecchio 🧐@GaiWaterhouse1 @clarkyhk @mmsnippets @ArrowfieldStudpic.twitter.com/7xzWJhMiOi
— Pedigree Update (@pedigreeupdate) April 19, 2025
Jockey Tim Clark admitted some responsibility for Shangri La Spring’s 4th in the Carbine Club S. G3 on 5 April. “It was probably a little bit my fault the other day. He probably wasn’t quite ready to be ridden like he was, second-up at a mile.
“That probably held him in good stead for today having a really good, toughen-up run under his belt on the back of Gai and Adrian’s advice to hold him up a bit more today, and getting out to 2000 metres, to trust his turn of foot.”
A $350,000 Magic Millions buy for Tulloch Lodge & Kestrel Thoroughbreds from Arrowfield (which retains a share in him), Shangri La Spring is the best of 4 stakes performers among 7 winners left by the now-retired Opportunity, a stakes-winning daughter of Redoute’s Choice. Her final foal, Shangri La Spring’s 2YO full brother Another Cashie is yet to race from the Matthew Dunn stable.
No surprise that the Danehill-free Castelvecchio has sired Group 1 winner El Castello and Group winners Double Market & Shangri La Spring from mares by Danehill’s sons. Danehill also appears in the pedigree of Australian Derby G1 winner Aeliana’s dam Temolie.
