Astro Castro repays faith
4. MELB CUP CARNIVAL SERIES 1500m
GEELONG trainer Alan Hunter admits a fair bit of weight was lifted off his shoulders after Astro Castro’s dominant win on his home track yesterday.
The five-year-old stamped himself a rising star with a stunning win at 100-1 at Flemington on debut in July last year and until yesterday hadn’t been able to back up that kind of performance.
But after a bout of surgery, an average autumn and then a good spell in the paddock, Astro Castro has returned to his best and is ready to head back into the city.
The son of Astronomer Royal shared the lead before booting away at the top of the straight to claim the Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Series Heat 5 (1500m).
“A massive amount of weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Hunter said.
“You know the horse has got ability and it must be frustrating, not just for me but for all trainers, when you have a good horse and something goes wrong. It can be so frustrating; the ups and downs can be horrendous for some people.
“You have a lot of doubts. Was it a flash in the pan the first one at Flemington? (But regular jockey Jason Benbow) said ‘no, they don’t do that unless they have serious ability’. “Today is a magnificent day.” Hunter said the horse would now head to the 1600m $200,000 final at Flemington on November 9.
Dwayne Dunn, replacing Benbow who had riding commitments in Tasmania, elected to go forward from barrier eight and gave Astro Castro the perfect ride, letting him settle before hitting the go button.
And while Astro Castro claimed headlines for that win at Flemington, Hunter believes yesterday’s 1.25-length win over Symon Wilde’s Straight Jacket was better.
“I think he has won like a better horse today, to be honest.
“There is improvement to come, that’s what I’m happy about. There’s a lot left in the tank with him.”