A casting apparatus for forming a cylinder head. The apparatus is configured to inhibit gate stick by promoting top-down directional solidification of molten metal in the mold cavity by any one or more of specific placement of gate pins in relation to apertures used to deliver molten metal to the mold cavity, circulating a cooling medium through the gate pins in a parallel fashion, configuring the gates so that a volume on the lower side of the gate is larger than a volume on the upper side of the gate, and insulating the inside surfaces of feeder lids and feeder bowls.