Castletown (3 October 1986 – 17 December 2017) was a
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
racehorse
Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...
who won over $2 million in prize money and is best known for winning one of New Zealand's toughest staying tests, the
Wellington Cup, on three occasions.
He had over 100 starts, from two to eight years of age, including a record 13 races over 3,200 metres, a distance at which he excelled.
Over the distance, he won the Wellington Cup in 1991, 1992, and 1994, and the Auckland Cup in 1992. In his third win in the Wellington Cup, Castletown carried topweight of 58 kilograms, and won a special place in New Zealand racing history, accompanied by the memorable "the dream bursts into reality" commentary from Tony Lee.
Castletown could also be effective over shorter distances, especially earlier in his career, where highlights included wins in the
New Zealand Derby, the
Kelt Capital Stakes, and the
Caulfield Stakes, and he was placed in stakes races as short as 1,600 metres.
In Australia, he contested the
Caulfield and
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...
s three years in-a-row, from 1991 to 1993, and was placed in the
Sydney Cup in 1991 and 1992.
He failed to recapture his best form after his last Wellington Cup, and ran his last race in November 1994. He died in December 2017.
Race record
Notable races included:
* 3rd in the 1988
New Zealand 2000 Guineas behind Finnegan Fox and Centime.
* 1st in the 1989
New Zealand Derby beating Renteeno and Just A Dancer.
* 2nd in the 1990
Air New Zealand Stakes behind Riverina Charm.
* 3rd in the 1990
DB Draught Classic behind
Horlicks and
The Phantom
''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The char ...
.
* 4th in the 1990
Canterbury Guineas
* 4th in the 1990
Rosehill Guineas
* 4th in the 1990
AJC Derby
The Australian Derby is an Australian Turf Club Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights held at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in April, during the Autumn Australian Turf Club, ATC Championships Carniv ...
* 3rd in the 1990
Queensland Guineas
* 3rd in the 1990
Queensland Derby behind
Rough Habit and Ray’s Hope.
* 2nd in the 1990 Avondale Cup behind Coconut Ice.
* 1st in the 1990 Queen Elizabeth Handicap (Ellerslie, 2400m) ahead of Coconut Ice and Our Caddy.
* 4th in the 1991
Auckland Cup won by Star Harvest.
* 1st in the 1991
Trentham Stakes from Shuzohra and Madame Bardot.
* 1st in the 1991
Wellington Cup from Shuzohra and Coconut Ice.
* 3rd in the 1991 The BMW behind Dr Grace and Shuzohra.
* 2nd in the 1991
Sydney Cup behind Just A Dancer.
* 1st in the 1991
AJC St Leger Stakes from Just A Dancer and Cool Reception.
* 1st in the 1991 Kelt Capital Stakes ahead of
Surfers Paradise
Surfing is a list of surface water sports, surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in Glossary of surfing, tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wind wave, wave of water, whic ...
and Megabucks.
* 6th in the 1991
Caulfield Stakes won by Shaftesbury Avenue.
* 5th in the 1991
Caulfield Cup won by
Let’s Elope.
* 5th in the 1991
Mackinnon Stakes won by
Let’s Elope.
* 9th in the 1991
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...
won by
Let’s Elope.
* 1st in the 1992
Auckland Cup from Lurestina and Cool Reception.
* 1st in the 1992
Trentham Stakes ahead of Carlton King and Embroidered.
* 1st in the 1992
Wellington Cup ahead of Schnapps and The Yapper.
* 3rd in the 1992
Sydney Cup behind Eagle Eye and Aquidity.
* 1st in the 1992
Caulfield Stakes (2000m) beating Heroicity and Ramyah.
* 7th in the 1992
Caulfield Cup won by Mannerism, second was
Veandercross.
* 3rd in the 1992
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...
won by
Subzero, second was
Veandercross.
* 1st in the 1993
Trentham Stakes ahead of Tall Emperor and Beowulf.
* 10th in the 1993
Wellington Cup won by Dancing Lord.
* 3rd in the 1993 Kelt Capital Stakes behind Calm Harbour and Solvit.
* 8th in the 1993
Caulfield Cup won by Fraar.
* 10th in the 1993
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...
won by
Vintage Crop.
* 3rd in the 1993
New Zealand Cup behind Karaoke and Prince Haze.
* 1st in the 1994
Wellington Cup from Tawbeau and Ultimate Aim.
See also
*
Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand
*
Repeat winners of horse races
References
{{Reflist
External links
Castletown's pedigree and racing stats
1986 racehorse births
2017 racehorse deaths
Racehorses bred in New Zealand
Racehorses trained in New Zealand
Thoroughbred family 23
Auckland Cup winners
Wellington Cup winners
New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame horses