Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Ravenswood trainer-driver Jocelyn Young is emerging as a key player in the upcoming feature events for mares, with four-year-old Castella Dellacqua on the path to joining brilliant stablemates Steno and Peaceful in the top dozen of mares in Western Australia.
Castella Dellacqua bounced back to her best form when she scored an impressive victory in the $23,000 Steelos Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“Castella Dellacqua is not in Free-For-All grade yet but she’s heading that way,” said Young after driving the $4.60 chance to an easy win over Zephyra ($15) and Sister Cherie ($15), rating 1.56.4.
The Victorian-bred Castella Dellacqua began from the No. 1 barrier and Young planned to set the pace. However, she was beaten out by the $26 chance Soho Seraphine, who burst straight to the front from barrier five.
Castella Dellacqua enjoyed a perfect trip behind the pacemaker until Dylan Egerton-Green sent Zephyra with a sparkling burst of speed from the rear to take the lead with a lap to travel. Montana Glory, the $1.80 favourite from the No. 2 barrier, was still working hard in the breeze after she had failed in a determined challenge for the early lead.
Young got Castella Dellacqua into the clear approaching the home turn and the mare got to the front in the final 150m before winning by a length and a half.
“We had planned to lead even though I thought Castella Dellacqua might be better with a sit,” she said. “So, it all worked out very well.
“She and Peaceful are both very big mares. Peaceful is very gutsy, and out in front no one will catch her. She has a high cruising speed. Steno is just incredibly speedy, and I don’t think I have driven a horse who is as fast as her. She just blows my mind.
“Steno is tracking along very nicely, and I’m looking to resuming with her in a race for mares on October 4.”
Steno has raced 41 times for 19 wins, 11 placings and $378,068; Peaceful has earned $159,016 from eight wins and nine placings from 25 starts, while Castella Dellacqua has had 27 starts for six wins, nine placings and $86,446.
Castella Dellacqua raced ten times in New South Wales for one win and five placings, and her 17 WA starts have produced five wins and four placings.
She is by American sire Captaintreacherous and is the third foal out of the unraced American Ideal mare Mollys Ideal, whose first foal Act Now has amassed $890,785 from 21 wins and 12 placings from 45 starts.
Act Now won two Group 2 events as a two-year-old in 2020 before winning the Victoria Derby in Bendigo in October 2021 and the Group 1 Breeders Crown for colts and geldings at Melton the following month. In December 2022 Act Now finished third behind I Cast No Shadow in the Interdominion championship final at Melton, and last October he won the Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton, beating star pacer Catch A Wave.