Castletown (3 October 1986 – 17 December 2017) was a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, 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 basic pr ...

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 The Wellington Cup is a Group 3 Thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand held annually in late January at Trentham Racecourse in Trentham by the Wellington Racing Club. History Inaugurated in 1874, the Wellington Cup has been raced over various ...

, 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.Castletown's racing career
/ref> 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 New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres (12 furlongs) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day o ...

, the Kelt Capital Stakes, and the

Caulfield Stakes The Might and Power, registered as the Caulfield Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under weight-for-age conditions, for three-year-olds and upwards, run over a distance of 2,000 metres at Caulfield R ...

, and he was placed in stakes races as short as 1,600 metres. In Australia, he contested the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups three years in-a-row, from 1991 to 1993, and was placed in the

Sydney Cup The Sydney Cup is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred handicap horse race, for horses three years old and older, run over 3200 metres at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in the autumn during the ATC Championships series and it is ...

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 of cardiac arrest.

Race record

Notable races included: * 3rd in the 1988

New Zealand 2000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas is a Group One set-weight Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 1600 metres at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch New Zealand cup week The New Zealand 2000 Guineas is hel ...

behind Finnegan Fox and Centime. * 1st in the 1989

beating Renteeno and Just A Dancer. * 2nd in the 1990

Air New Zealand Stakes The New Zealand Stakes currently run as the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes is a Group One thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand. It is run at Ellerslie racecourse on the final day of the Auckland Cup Week Carnival in March for a stake of $200, ...

behind Riverina Charm. * 3rd in the 1990 DB Draught Classic behind Horlicks and The Phantom. * 4th in the 1990 Canterbury Guineas * 4th in the 1990 Rosehill Guineas * 4th in the 1990

AJC Derby AJC may refer to: * Agreement on Journey Continuation, an agreement between European rail operators to allow passengers in case of a missed connection * Allen Jack+Cottier (AJ+C), an architectural practice * American Jewish Committee, an advocacy g ...

* 3rd in the 1990

Queensland Guineas The Queensland Guineas is a Brisbane Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race held over 1600 metres, at set weights, for three-year-old horses held at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane, Australia in June during the Queensland Winter Racing Ca ...

* 3rd in the 1990

Queensland Derby The Queensland Derby is a Brisbane Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at, set weights, run over a distance of 2400 metres at Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane, Australia in June during the Queensland Winter Racing Carniv ...

behind

Rough Habit Rough Habit (2 December 1986 – 7 November 2014) was a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won 11 Group One (G1) races on both sides of the Tasman, and won New Zealand's Horse of the Year Award in 1992 and 1995. Background Rough H ...

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 The Auckland Cup is an annual race held by the Auckland Racing Club (ARC). It is an Open Handicap for thoroughbred racehorses competed on the flat turf over 3200 metres (two miles) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. The race was ...

won by Star Harvest. * 1st in the 1991 Trentham Stakes from Shuzohra and Madame Bardot. * 1st in the 1991

from Shuzohra and Coconut Ice. * 3rd in the 1991 The BMW behind Dr Grace and Shuzohra. * 2nd in the 1991

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 surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitabl ...

and Megabucks. * 6th in the 1991

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 won by Let’s Elope. * 1st in the 1992

from Lurestina and Cool Reception. * 1st in the 1992 Trentham Stakes ahead of Carlton King and Embroidered. * 1st in the 1992

ahead of Schnapps and The Yapper. * 3rd in the 1992

behind Eagle Eye and Aquidity. * 1st in the 1992

(2000m) beating Heroicity and Ramyah. * 7th in the 1992 Caulfield Cup won by Mannerism, second was

Veandercross Veandercross (14 October 1988 – 18 October 2014) was a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred gelding who won 14 stakes races, (including eight Group one), and was chosen Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year for the 1992–93 season. Veandercros ...

. * 3rd in the 1992 Melbourne Cup won by Subzero, second was

. * 1st in the 1993 Trentham Stakes ahead of Tall Emperor and Beowulf. * 10th in the 1993

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 won by

Vintage Crop Vintage Crop (1 March 1987 – 14 July 2014) was a British-bred Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse best known for becoming the first northern hemisphere trained runner to win Australia's premier race the Melbourne Cup. The chestnut geldi ...

. * 3rd in the 1993

New Zealand Cup The New Zealand Cup is a thoroughbred horse race run at the Riccarton Park Racecourse in Christchurch. New Zealand Cup week The New Zealand Cup is raced on the final Saturday of Christchurch "Cup week" held each year in the second week of Novem ...

behind Karaoke and Prince Haze. * 1st in the 1994

from Tawbeau and Ultimate Aim.

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

Race record

See also

References

External links