Melea Makes Cluden Her Castle

Brisbane apprentice Melea Castle is hoping a winning double at Cluden Park yesterday will open the door to more opportunities in the north.

Castle scored first with an all-the-way win on Lenny Rocky in the Brown Brothers Mdn Hcp (1400m) before storming home to win on Tennessee Boy in the Mitavite Open Hcp (1400m).

“I haven’t had a large number of rides here, but I feel I’m working out how to ride this track now,” Castle said.

“It’s taken a little while, just knowing when to make a run. Lenny Rocket rolled along in front and it was a good tough win, but I was probably a bit late going on Tennessee Boy. In the end it didn’t matter because he was too good for them.”

Castle, who has 10 more wins to go on her 2kg claim at the provincials, has now booted home 80 career winners.

She has already scored four wins in the city and yesterday’s double took tally at Cluden to five for an impressive winning strike rate of18%.

The 23-year-old is indentured to Chris Meagher in Brisbane and although getting more opportunities in the city hopes to continue to travel north.

“I have a two-year-old daughter and life’s pretty busy. But I’m keen to keep coming if the rides are there,” Castle said.

“I’ve had a bit of time off in the few years I’ve been riding to have my daughter and to recover from a serious car crash a while ago.

“But things are going well now.” 

In a tough day for punters, $26 shot Hello Bull delivered a knockout blow to punters in the first for trainer Sarah Acornley and jockey husband Carl Spry, and the favourites continued to tumble over the eight-event card.

Hello Bull was the stable’s second individual two-year-old winner and continued Spry’s golden run which is now a winner at each of his past nine race meetings.

Townsville trainer Georgie Holt and fly-in jockey Jackson Murphy also had a big day, combining for an early double with Forseti in TAB BM60 Hcp (1609m) and Ciao Bicky in the Carlton, United Breweries Cl3 Plate (1400m).

Emerald galloper Lily Allez lumped 61kg to one of the wins of the day in the Hygain BM 55 Hcp (1200m) before Leadership Spill carried 62kg to win the last, the BM70 Hcp (1000m).

Ridden by heavy weight jockey Ashley Butler, who waited all day for one ride, Leadership Spill flew the gates from barrier 12 and fought hard under his huge impost to beat Hurtle and Kiss Me Later in an exciting finish.

Pictured: Melea Castle guides Tennessee Boy to win the Mitavite Open Handicap (1400m), completing her double for the day. 

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