The form of highly raced Snitzel colt Switzerland was franked at Randwick on Saturday when Castanya, the filly he beat on debut at Randwick last month, came out and won the Listed ATC Lonhro Plate (1000m) at her second start.
Trained by Annabel Neasham, the Capitalist filly was easy in the market with some well credentialled colts expected to be hard to beat, but under a well timed ride from Zac Lloyd she arrived on the line to claim a long head victory over I Am Invincible colts Embassy and Anode.
“She’s a beautiful filly, so laid back, but she seems to know when to turn it on and the nice thing with her is she is strong late,” said Annabel Neasham.
“We’ll see how she pulls up, but I think we’ll probably go to one of the fillies Slipper lead ups and I think that has surely got to have her in the picture now. She was second last time to a very smart one and has taken good improvement into today.”
A $300,000 Magic Millions purchase for her trainer from the Newgate Farm draft, Castanya runs for a big group of owners including Mystery Downs in whose colours she runs.
Bred by Gooree Stud in partnership with Newgate, Castanya is a half-sister to Group III winner Tempt Me Not and is the fifth winner from Ganda, a half-sister by Encosta de Lago to the dams of Group II winner Good Standing and stakes-winner Smart Meteor. Ganda is also a daughter of Gooree Stud’s outstanding dual Group I winning filly Tempest Morn.
Newgate sold a yearling Russian Revolution colt from Ganda at Magic Millions this year for $150,000 to Annabel Neasham and the mare has a filly to follow by Extreme Choice and is back in foal to him again.
Castanya is the 17th stakes-winner for Capitalist, who is the most represented sire at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale starting on Sunday.
Capitalist had a great day on Saturday with quality three year-olds Lazzago and Encap both placing in Group races at their first runs this preparation, while two year-old colt Holmes a Court was third in a hot edition of the Group III MRC Blue Diamond Prelude.
– Newgate Farm