Castelvecchio made swift progress last spring with a string of impressive three year-old stakes-winners and he had a very promising maiden winner at Kembla on Wednesday that looks well capable of winning better races.
Trained by Lee and Cherie Curtis, Modella was second on debut in a 1200m maiden at Warwick Farm earlier this month and looked well placed in the 1300m midway maiden with Jeff Penza to ride.
She settled back in the field and produced an eye-catching finish to surge past the leaders and dash right away to win by nearly two lengths.
Lee Curtis was thrilled and expected to see her win, although was surprised she didn’t start favourite as he believes she is a filly with a big future.
A $200,000 Magic Millions purchase from Arrowfield for her trainers, Modella runs for an ownership group that includes Frank and Christine Cook of Mystery Downs in whose colours she runs.
She is the second winner from Ms Rodarte, a metro winning half-sister by I Am Invincible to Group III winner Ms Catherine from Group III winner Lucky Diva.
Ms Rodarte was covered again last spring by Castlelvecchio, whose season ended early last spring in mid November when he underwent surgery for an enterolith, a rare stony mineral mass that forms in the digestive tract. As a result he covered just 64 mares last year.
