EL CASTELLO ALL SET FOR SPRING CHAMPION

Trainer Anthony Cummings plots Group path towards Victoria Derby for smart 3yo

- Michael Lee

Nine times out of 10, a hard-luck story horse who flies home for second will be better fancied than the victor at their next head-to-head clash.

Gun Sydney three-year-olds El Castello and Swiftfalcon ran 1-2 in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1,800m) at Rosehill on Oct 12, but some believe the order could have been reversed if their barriers (five and nine) had been swopped.

The runner-up was to his trainer Michael Hawkes - who trains in partnership with brother Wayne and father John - two pairs further than he should have been because of the wide alley.

He also rued the traffic in the home straight, but was overall chuffed with the booming run from the son of Exceedance under regular partner Jay Ford to finish only 1.82 length off El Castello.

In contrast, the winner enjoyed a softer run in transit for jockey Josh Parr-fifth one-off the rails before quickening home without having to dig too deep.

The Gloaming form lines up well for the A$2 million (S$1.8 million) Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2,000m), the last Group 1 event of the Sydney Spring Carnival on Oct 26, which may well also crown the champion 3yo.