Castle Gandolfo took the inaugural running of the Fosters-International Trial Stakes at Lingfield today in the style of an odds-on favourite.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt was sent off at 2-5 for the £50,000 one-mile contest and never gave his supporters a moment's worry cruising home two and a half lengths clear of Aramram in the hands of Michael Kinane.
The race had lost much of its sparkle with the overnight defection of O'Brien's star three-year-old Johannesburg but Castle Gandolfo proved a very able substitute. As the field turned for home Castle Gandolfo was forced wide and Bit Of Luck set sail for home but Kinane soon had his mount in touch and quickening impressively the son of Gone West strode impressively clear to score eased down.
Castle Gandolfo won his first two starts last season before finishing runner-up on his other two outings including the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. He holds big-race entries in the Sagitta 2000 Guineas, Convergent Communications Dante Stakes at York and the Vodafone Derby.
Filed by Laura Reynolds
