Best friends on the road to 2025 Karrakatta Plate success

Craig Staples may get the chance to relive past glory in Saturday’s Karrakatta Plate (1200m) thanks to his bond with trainer Paul Jordan and a high-speed youngster named Castle Road.

The two-time Karrakatta-winning jockey is back in action after Jordan encouraged him to stay on for a final fling with the promising gelding. The pair’s friendship and professional rapport span decades, and Jordan’s persuasion kept Staples from stepping away from the saddle entirely.

“Paul is the only reason I’m still out there,” Staples said. “We’ve been through a lot together, and it would mean a lot to ride a big winner for him.”

Castle Road cemented his status as a rising force with a brilliant all-the-way victory in the Perth Stakes (1100m), putting daylight on his rivals.

Despite his ability, the Playing God gelding can be a bit fiery, according to Staples.

“He’s still learning the ropes,” he said. “If he settles better in his races, he’ll be very hard to beat.”

The colt drew barrier four for the feature race, a gate that has Staples excited.

“That’s the one I wanted,” he said. “He’ll ping the gates and take control. I doubt they’ll let us have it all our way this time, but he’s good enough to cope.”

With a price of $7.50 in current markets, Castle Road sits just behind Yes Queen and Talkanco in early betting for the $5 million sprint. Staples believes if his mount races smartly, he can deliver something special for the stable and for Jordan.