Lethaby only claimed his first ever winner as a trainer just over 12 months ago when $3 equal favourite Balator Thor got the cash at Marburg.
He has 12 victories to his name so far – with two at Group 3 level.
To grab his ninth career victory from 80 starts, Lethaby thought Red Castleton was aided by a great job from returning driver McMullen, who recently spent a lengthy period on the sidelines with injury.
“It was pretty exciting,” Lethaby said of the Group 3 victory at Albion Park.
“We were disappointed last start, when he had to sit outside the leader and he over-raced a little bit.
“We thought we would drive him quiet this week and hope for a bit of luck and he surprised us a little bit.
“We knew he could put in a run like that.
“We got him from New Zealand and he was only cheap and he has been a pretty good buy for us.”
McMullen recently credited Lethaby with helping her recover from her collapsed lung, as well as a bruised kidney and spleen, after being kicked by a pacer at their stable earlier this year.
To make it two on the trot, Red Castleton has drawn three for the $30,000 feature this Saturday evening.
Ideally, the young trainer would like to see the NZ-bred gelding have one final run at them after there being good speed early on, which McMullen was able to do last start with great affect.
“He has a bit of gate speed so if he could find the fence early, I think he should go a bit of a good race again,” Lethaby said.
“He is a perfect little race horse really, when he is driven quietly, he is never far away.”
Before feature racing on Saturday night at Albion Park, Taleah McMullen has a strong book of drives on Thursday afternoon at the track.
“It was pretty exciting,” Lethaby said of the Group 3 victory at Albion Park.
“We were pretty confident two starts before that when he started favourite and galloped behind the gate – we thought he would be hard to beat on that night.
“We were disappointed last start, when he had to sit outside the leader and he over-raced a little bit.
“We thought we would drive him quiet this week and hope for a bit of luck and he surprised us a little bit.
“We knew he could put in a run like that.
“We got him from New Zealand and he was only cheap and he has been a pretty good buy for us.”
McMullen recently credited Lethaby with helping her recover from her collapsed lung, as well as a bruised kidney and spleen, after being kicked by a pacer at their stable earlier this year.
To make it two on the trot, Red Castleton has drawn three for the $30,000 feature this Saturday evening.
Ideally, the young trainer would like to see the NZ-bred gelding have one final run at them after there being good speed early on, which McMullen was able to do last start with great affect.
“He has a bit of gate speed so if he could find the fence early, I think he should go a bit of a good race again,” Lethaby said.
“He is a perfect little race horse really, when he is driven quietly, he is never far away.”
Before feature racing on Saturday night at Albion Park, Taleah McMullen has a strong book of drives on Thursday afternoon at the track.
By Jordan Gerrans