Pride’s Epsom double attack

Spring Champion Stakes winner El Castello will wear his familiar head gear in Saturday’s Epsom with trainer Joe Pride admitting he was shocked and pleased when he saw his rating when he arrived at the stable for the spring.

The Castelvecchio four-year-old missed the autumn because of injury and has joined the Pride yard from Anthony Cummings with his comeback run a closing fourth behind Autumn Glow in the Theo Marks Quality three weeks ago.

“He didn’t have his blinkers the other day, so you can expect improvement into the Epsom when he gets them on and he is going so well at home,” Pride said.

“When I got him and saw that he was only rated 100 I was surprised because he is a Group 1 winner and I have had a lot of Listed winners that have been higher in the ratings than that, so I looked for a big handicap.”

“He is only lightly raced and even though he won that Spring Champion, I feel his best racing is in front of him and a big Randwick mile will really suit him in terms of pressure.”

“He is still a stallion, so he has that strength about him, and he is very well in at the weights.”

Pride will also saddle defending Epsom champion Ceolwulf, and believes even under topweight of 58 kilos he can be in the finish.

“All his races this time in have lacked tempo, and hopefully he gets a bit of speed on this weekend because, as he showed last year, that is when he is at his best,” Pride said.

“He is on his way to the King Charles Stakes and I’m happy to see Pride Of Jenni back and going there because he is one horse that loves the gallop she puts on.”
Pride elected to save Headley Grange for next week’s Allan Brown Stakes at 1400m, where the Cameron Handicap winner will be better suited.

“There are so many options for good money that you can wait with a horse like Headley Grange and not take on an Autumn Glow. Next week fits in better with running in the Big Dance in November,” Pride said.

It’s a big day for the Pride stable as he attempts to cause a boilover in the Flight Stakes with Reflect, while Mazu lines up against the Everest-bound sprinters in the Premiere Stakes and Kerguelen looks to right some wrongs from a checked passage last start.

“I think I have a good team and chances all day, even Attica, I think, will be better in blinkers in the Dulcify Stakes because he has just floated at his last two runs,” Pride said.

“The Premiere often throws up a funny result and Mazu was just run down in it last year and he will be competitive again.”

“Kerguelen has to be due a change of luck in the last, so I think there is a winner there somewhere.”