Phillip Stokes Racing

About Phillip Stokes

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Phillip Stokes

Australia

An Exceptional Racing Prospect Awaits!
Secure your share in this exceptional, athletic colt &ndash; a standout from the Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
Handpicked in partnership with Wylie Dalziel &ndash; with whom we've campaigned high-quality gallopers like Mr Quickie and Savannah Cloud &ndash; this striking colt boasts a combination of elite pedigree, physical presence, and future potential.
🧬 By Blue Point &ndash; An emerging sire 
This colt is by the explosive and emerging stallion Blue Point, a son of the great Shamardal and one of the most exciting sires to hit the breeding ranks in recent times.
<ul>
<li>The only horse in history to win three Group 1 sprints at Royal Ascot, including the unprecedented 2019 sprint double &ndash; taking out both the King&rsquo;s Stand Stakes and Diamond Jubilee.</li>
<li>A proven performer across four consecutive seasons, Blue Point was a Group winner at 2, 3, 4 and 5, retiring as a four-time Group 1 winner.</li>
<li>His first crop lit up the Northern Hemisphere, making him the first sire since Sadler&rsquo;s Wells to produce two Group 1-winning juveniles in his debut crop.</li>
<li>In Australia, his progeny are making their mark as 3YOs, with Blue Point currently second only to Too Darn Hot on the Australian second-season sire standings by earnings.</li>
<li>His standout Aussie runners include:</li>
<ul>
<li>Bosustow &ndash; winner of the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas</li>
<li>Icarian Dream &ndash; G3 BJ McLachlan Stakes winner</li>
<li>Plus: Point And Shoot, Tonkin, Gerringong, Blue Vein, Point Barrow, Aleppo Pine and more emerging talents.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
💫 Out of a Zoustar Mare &ndash; Big Angel
The dam, Big Angel, is by Australia's current leading sire, and the 2024 world leading sire&nbsp;Zoustar, whose daughters are quickly proving themselves as producers of precocious and progressive stock. This Zoustar x Blue Point cross combines speed, class, and versatility, making this colt a truly exciting racing prospect.
🔥 Athletic, well-conformed, and bred to fly &ndash; this colt ticks all the boxes.
Enquire now to secure your share. Opportunities like this don&rsquo;t last with only 50% remaining!
Hear from Tommy Stokes and Wylie Dalziel after purchasing the Blue Point x Big Angel colt. Parade video included👇 <a href="https://vimeo.com/1066826532?share=copy#t=0">https://vimeo.com/1066826532?share=copy#t=0</a> The final price is all-inclusive and covers
<ul>
<li>The purchase price &amp; GST</li>
<li>12 months fall of hammer insurance</li>
<li>Full entry into the $20 million Magic Millions Australia-wide race series</li>
<li>Transport to the spelling farm</li>
<li>Scope and veterinary costs</li>
<li>Bloodstock and PDS fees</li>
</ul>
This colt is VOBIS qualified in Victoria and also eligible for SA Racing Rewards, plus he&rsquo;ll be paid up for the lucrative Magic Millions Australia-wide race series - maximizing his earning potential. He will be trained out of our Pakenham base.

Blue Point / Big Angel Colt '23

Unraced

For Syndication

We are thrilled to offer a unique opportunity to join the ownership of an exciting young racehorse &ndash; a gelding by Widden Stud&rsquo;s highly promising sire, Zousain, out of a winning Redoute&rsquo;s Choice mare, Fairy Wand.
A Proven Performer in the Making 🔥
Purchased in partnership with Regal Bloodstock at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, this gelding has demonstrated immense potential from the moment he stepped into our stable.
He showcased his class with an impressive jump-out win at Morphettville last November, where he put a clear margin on his rivals, highlighting his professionalism and natural ability.
Jockey Lachy Neindorf was highly impressed with his performance:
&ldquo;I was very happy guys, he&rsquo;s such a professional, very composed. He pinged the lids and travelled on the bridle. The most impressive thing was that when I gave him a squeeze, he kept himself composed and didn&rsquo;t lose his action.
He lengthened beautifully, he has a nice stride on him. When you ask him to go to full flight, he quickly put two lengths on the field and put them away quite nicely. So, there&rsquo;s something there for sure.&rdquo; 🏇💨
&mdash; Lachy Neindorf, November 12th, 2024
Why Zousain? 
We have immense confidence in Zousain, a young sire who is making a significant impact. We currently have seven of his progeny in the stable and have already enjoyed notable success, including Group 3-placed The Dabble Effect and exciting juvenile filly La Roux.
A son of the champion Zoustar, Zousain was an elite performer himself:
<ul>
<li>Group 2 winner and dual Group 1 runner-up as a 2YO 🎖️</li>
<li>2nd in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington, finishing just 0.2L behind Sunlight 🏆</li>
<li>Runner-up in the Group 1 Golden Rose, finishing 0.2L behind The Autumn Sun 🥈</li>
<li>One of the fastest and best-credentialed sons of Zoustar ⚡</li>
<li>Yearlings have fetched up to $650k, $525k, and $500k in sales and are averaging $105k in 2025 💰</li>
<li>Already sired Group 3 winners Drifting and Amelita, as well as the Listed-winning filly Bellazaine 🏇</li>
</ul>
Exceptional Pedigree &amp; Family Success 🏆
This gelding comes from a quality dam line, adding further confidence to his racing credentials:
<ul>
<li>Out of Fairy Wand, a winning daughter of Redoute&rsquo;s Choice &ndash; one of Australia&rsquo;s most influential broodmare sires. 🌟</li>
<li>From a family rich in black-type success, including New Zealand Group 1 winner Calveen</li>
</ul>
Why Race with Phillip Stokes?
Proven Success 
Phillip Stokes is one of Australia&rsquo;s most accomplished and respected thoroughbred trainers, delivering a winning combination of skill, experience, and results for racehorse owners in both Victoria and South Australia.
He has trained nearly 1500 winners, seven at Group 1 level, including Mr Quickie, winner of the Queensland Derby and Toorak Handicap, Instant Celebrity and Climbing Star, recent victresses of the Robert Sangster Stakes and Hucklebuck, winner of the Emirates Stakes.
Phillip&rsquo;s horses have won a combined 97 stakes races and amassed $60 million in prizemoney at a strike rate of 17 per cent since 2000. And since setting up a base at Pakenham in 2019 Phillip has averaged 115 winners per season with a career best of 149 winners in 2020/21.
Exceptional Facilities
Phillip provides horses with a world-class environment to develop and thrive.
<ul>
<li>Dual-State Operations:</li>
<ul>
<li>South Australia: Morphettville stables, located at the heart of Adelaide racing, offer access to premier tracks and metropolitan results for owners. Phillip&rsquo;s Adelaide-based operation currently leads the South Australian Metro Trainers Premiership with 26 winners.</li>
<li>Victoria: Pakenham stables are situated within a state-of-the-art training facility in one of Australia&rsquo;s most competitive racing states, giving horses access to superior infrastructure and top tier racing opportunities. Phillip&rsquo;s current stable star is Stretan Angel, who is on track for the G1 Newmarket Handicap after a first up second placing in the G1 Lightning Stakes.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Join Us in Racing an Exciting son of Zousain&nbsp;🌟🏇
This is an outstanding opportunity to own a share in a highly promising young racehorse. With his early professionalism, quality pedigree, and proven ability, he presents an exciting prospect for owners looking to be part of something special. 🎉🏆
Secure your share today and be part of the journey! 🥇🏇💨
📩 Contact us now to get involved with shares priced at $11,995 per 5% (31/1/25) 📞💬
&nbsp;

Zousain / Fairy Wand Gelding '22

An Exclusive Investment Opportunity in an Elite Staying Prospect
We are thrilled to present a rare opportunity to invest in Highland Bling, an exciting European import with elite bloodlines and proven ability. This exceptional staying prospect is by the world-class Highland Reel, a seven-time Group 1 winner trained by the legendary Aidan O&rsquo;Brien.
Now under the expert guidance of Stokes Racing in partnership with OTI Racing, Highland Bling is set to embark on a campaign aimed at city-class staying races in Melbourne, with the goal of competing in the Country Cups circuit leading into the 2025 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Why Invest in Highland Bling? Positive Reports From The Stable
Since his arrival at our Pakenham base on February 10th, Highland Bling has adapted seamlessly to his new environment. Early feedback from our riders highlights his laid-back temperament, professionalism, and smooth action.
💬 &ldquo;He&rsquo;s lovely, a beautiful ride.&rdquo; &ndash; Jockey Lachy Neindorf 💬 &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a nice laid-back customer in his work, he&rsquo;s very straightforward &ndash; a nice horse.&rdquo; &ndash; Assistant Trainer Shae Dinunzio Highland Bling is starting to bloom, showcasing his potential with an impressive trial performance over 1200m on April 1st. We're now set to launch his racing career Down Under in the coming weeks over the mile, with eyes firmly set on bigger and better targets ahead. Watch Highland Bling's trial below 👇 <a href="https://www.racing.com/videos/2025-04-01/pakenham-jump-out-1--01042025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.racing.com/videos/2025-04-01/pakenham-jump-out-1--01042025</a>
Quality Pedigree 
✅ Sired by Highland Reel &ndash; One of the greatest globetrotting champions of modern times, with seven Group 1 wins across Europe, the USA, and Asia, earning over &pound;7.5 million in prize money. His progeny, including 2023 G1 Australian Derby 5th placegetter High Approach and the G3 Kevin Heffern Stakes-placed Warnie, are already proving to be highly competitive stayers that also possess the ability to succeed at a mile. ✅ Out of a well-related European Mare &ndash; Highland Bling comes from a strong staying lineage that features 2013 G1 Nasaau Stakes winner Winsili and G1 Sheema Classic victor Polish Summer. His half-sister Rolling The Dice was placed third in the G2 Doncaster May Hill Stakes over a mile.
Proven Racing Performance &amp; Exciting Future
✅ Winner Over 2000m in Ireland &ndash; Highland Bling has already demonstrated his staying ability, and with further maturity, we expect him to improve significantly under Australian conditions. ✅ Targeting the 2025 Melbourne Spring Carnival &ndash; Our plan is to develop Highland Bling into a strong Country Cups contender, with a view toward stepping into higher-class staying races during the spring.
Our Proven Success with OTI Racing-Owned Imports
At Stokes Racing, we have a strong track record of success with OTI Racing imports, proving that our approach to transitioning and developing European stayers leads to winning results.
🏆 Daqiansweet Junior &ndash; 2022 Adelaide Cup Winner 🏆 Amade &ndash; 2023 Geelong Cup Winner ⭐ Deakin &ndash; 2025 Roy Higgins Quality hero, who is now Caulfield and Melbourne Cup-bound.
Our experience in managing these top-class imports gives us immense confidence that Highland Bling has the potential to follow in their footsteps
Why Race with Phillip Stokes?
Proven Success 
Phillip Stokes is one of Australia&rsquo;s most accomplished and respected thoroughbred trainers, delivering a winning combination of skill, experience, and results for racehorse owners in both Victoria and South Australia.
He has trained nearly 1500 winners, seven at Group 1 level, including Mr Quickie, winner of the Queensland Derby and Toorak Handicap, Instant Celebrity and Climbing Star, recent victresses of the Robert Sangster Stakes and Hucklebuck, winner of the Emirates Stakes.
Phillip&rsquo;s horses have won a combined 97 stakes races and amassed $60 million in prizemoney at a strike rate of 17 per cent since 2000. And since setting up a base at Pakenham in 2019 Phillip has averaged 115 winners per season with a career-best of 149 winners in 2020/21.
Exceptional Facilities
Phillip provides horses with a world-class environment to develop and thrive.
<ul>
<li>Dual-State Operations:</li>
<ul>
<li>South Australia: Morphettville stables, located at the heart of Adelaide racing, offer access to premier tracks and metropolitan results for owners. Phillip&rsquo;s Adelaide-based operation currently leads the South Australian Metro Trainers Premiership with 26 winners.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<ul>
<li>Victoria: Pakenham stables are situated within a state-of-the-art training facility in one of Australia&rsquo;s most competitive racing states, giving horses access to superior infrastructure and top-tier racing opportunities. Our current stable star is Stretan Angel, who is on track for the G1 Newmarket Handicap after a first-up second placing in the G1 Lightning Stakes.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Join the Team &ndash; Secure Your Share Today!
This is a limited opportunity to own a share in a top-class staying prospect, backed by one of the most successful ownership groups in Australia. With elite bloodlines, proven staying ability, and a well-planned racing campaign, Highland Bling represents an exciting investment.
📩 Contact us today to secure your share and be part of the journey with Stokes Racing &amp; OTI Racing.
🏇 The thrill of racing awaits &ndash; will you be part of it?
&nbsp;

Highland Bling 

Raced

We are excited to offer a limited opportunity to invest in this outstanding yearling gelding by the highly promising sire Brave Smash. Purchased by Phillip Stokes from the 2025 Magic Millions Sale, this gelding was selected from the draft of Yarraman Park, one of Australia&rsquo;s most renowned winner-producing farms.
Why This Gelding?
This athletic gelding caught our attention immediately, earning a spot on our &ldquo;A-list&rdquo; of top prospects at the sale. His combination of athleticism, pedigree, and preparation makes him a standout:
<ul>
<li>By Brave Smash: Brave Smash is one of Australia&rsquo;s most exciting young sires, already producing highly promising progeny. As the trainer of Brave Smash&rsquo;s talented 3YO filly Sweethearted, who we believe has Group-level potential, Phillip Stokes has a deep understanding of the sire&rsquo;s progeny and what it takes to succeed with them.</li>
<li>Strong Maternal Line: This gelding is out of a winning mare by Pivotal, one of the most influential broodmare sires in history. This maternal line provides both class and versatility, enhancing his potential as a future stakes-level performer.</li>
</ul>
Exceptional Development
We closely monitored this colt&rsquo;s progress in the months leading up to the sale, and he has done nothing but improve throughout his yearling preparation. His physical development and demeanour give us every confidence that he will mature into a complete racehorse under our system.
Soundness &amp; Readiness
This colt x-rayed and scoped clean, ensuring a solid foundation for his racing career. We can&rsquo;t wait to get him into the stables and begin his journey to success.
Limited Shares Available
<ul>
<li>Only 40% remaining</li>
</ul>
Don&rsquo;t miss this chance to join an exciting racing journey with a horse who ticks all the boxes &ndash; athleticism, pedigree, and preparation. With Phillip Stokes&rsquo; proven expertise and this gelding&rsquo;s strong credentials, the future looks bright.
Contact us today to secure your share and be part of the ride!

An outstanding son of the very exciting Brave Smash out of a daughter of one of the best Broodmare sires ever!

Brave Smash / Loolwah '23

For Sale

Following his brave win in the Listed Roy Higgins Quality at Flemington, our promising stayer Deakin will bypass the G1 Sydney Cup and head to the paddock for a well-earned break.
The decision has been made in consultation with OTI Racing&rsquo;s Terry Henderson, with a view to the bigger picture: a focused spring campaign targeting the premier staying features - the G1 Caulfield Cup and the G1 Melbourne Cup.
Our son of Australia has come into his own during his first preparation Down Under, and we looking forward to Deakin proving himself as a genuine Cups contender in the spring.

Deakin to Bypass Sydney Cup, Set for Spring Staying Features

Deakin on Display at HQ We are more than excited to saddle up our impressive last start Listed&nbsp;Torney Night Cup&nbsp;winner&nbsp;Deakin&nbsp;at&nbsp;Flemington&nbsp;on Saturday after opting to bypass the&nbsp;G2 Adelaide Cup.
The&nbsp;Roy Higgins,&nbsp;a&nbsp;&ldquo;win and you&rsquo;re in&rdquo;&nbsp;race for the&nbsp;Melbourne Cup,&nbsp;presents as an exciting opportunity for Deakin, whose untapped staying potential puts a spring in the team&rsquo;s step each-and-every morning.
Deakin was impressive in his tick over jump out on&nbsp;March 18th&nbsp;and pleased both&nbsp;Daniel Stackhouse&nbsp;and&nbsp;Phillip&nbsp;in his work on Tuesday morning. Given the soft draw, barrier&nbsp;three, we expect our&nbsp;OTI-owned import to prove ultra-competitive. 
Skies the limit for Sweethearted
If the silks in which&nbsp;Sweethearted&nbsp;carries are any indication of his straight track ability he&rsquo;s sure to be in with a red-hot chance when he heads to&nbsp;HQ&nbsp;on Saturday for the $500,000 Listed&nbsp;World Pool Sprint Classic.
Sweethearted, an impressive last-start winner at&nbsp;Geelong&nbsp;on January 4, lines up against a field of quality young sprinters in the&nbsp;1100m&nbsp;dash &ndash; with none more exciting than&nbsp;Kiwi&nbsp;sprint sensation&nbsp;Alabama Lass,&nbsp;who is being heralded by some as the &ldquo;next Imperatriz&rdquo;.
Despite the boom on Alabama Lass and the quality of our competition we couldn&rsquo;t be happier with Sweethearted heading into Saturday&rsquo;s race.
He has done everything right at home and gives Phillip and the team on the ground every indication that he could furnish into a high-quality sprinter.
Our other runners at Flemington include the ever-consistent&nbsp;Athanatos&nbsp;in the&nbsp;VOBIS Gold Mile,&nbsp;Zaszou&nbsp;in the opening event on the program and&nbsp;Prinzerro&nbsp;and&nbsp;Shirshov&nbsp;in the lucky last over the 1100m. 
Comanche in search of maiden success
Comanche Miss&nbsp;may well and truly be the &ldquo;best maiden&rdquo; galloper in the land, but on&nbsp;Saturday&nbsp;we&rsquo;re hoping she can break that tag when she steps out in the&nbsp;Listed&nbsp;Clare Lindop Stakes&nbsp;at&nbsp;Morphettville.
Owned by&nbsp;Arrowfield Stud, who we&rsquo;ve had great success training for over the years, Comanche Miss looks well-placed to get &ldquo;the monkey off her back&rdquo; rising to the mile, a trip she boasts a close third to boom filly&nbsp;Treasurethemoment&nbsp;over.
Comanche Miss is drawn to get an economical run in transit, barrier eight, and we expect her to improve off her first up performance at&nbsp;Pakenham&nbsp;ridden with cover over a more suitable distance as she plots a path towards next month&rsquo;s&nbsp;Australasian Oaks.
Listen to Racing Manager&rsquo;s&nbsp;Nick Pinkerton&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jackson Frantz&nbsp;preview of our strong hand at&nbsp;Flemington&nbsp;on Saturday and the chances of&nbsp;Comanche Miss&nbsp;in the Listed&nbsp;Clare Lindop Stakes.
The team also provide an update on our star mares&nbsp;Stretan Angel&nbsp;and&nbsp;Climbing Star 👇 https://youtu.be/3ipZqsEfDfw?si=4-js5sDFEfrfc6Xy

Deakin on Display at HQ

The Phillip Stokes team is confident they made the right call in bypassing the Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) with progressive stayer Deakin, who will instead chase a golden ticket into the&nbsp;<a title="Melbourne Cup guide" href="https://horsebetting.com.au/melbourne-cup/">Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m)</a>&nbsp;in Saturday&rsquo;s Listed Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) at Flemington.
Deakin had been among the early favourites with&nbsp;<a title="Betting sites guide" href="https://horsebetting.com.au/sites/">horse racing betting sites</a>&nbsp;for the Adelaide Cup, but the decision was made to stay in Victoria and target a more suitable option closer to home.
&ldquo;The price we would have paid to go there at the time, running on a 40-degree day and carrying 59-kilos in a two-mile race for the first time, the risk was greater than the reward,&rdquo; Assistant Trainer Shae Dinunzio said.
&ldquo;We thought it best to keep him here and jump him out in between and follow the same recipe we did last time.&rdquo;
That recipe delivered success in February, with Deakin scoring in the Listed Torney Night Cup (2500m) at&nbsp;<a href="https://horsebetting.com.au/tracks/moonee-valley/">Moonee Valley</a>.
He steps out to 2600 metres this weekend with the added incentive of a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup on the line, where he is currently a $26 hope in Melbourne Cup futures markets with&nbsp;<a title="Bookies guide" href="https://horsebetting.com.au/online-bookmakers/">horse racing bookmakers</a>.
&ldquo;He worked super on the grass at Pakenham on Saturday morning,&rdquo; Dinunzio said.
&ldquo;Joe Bowditch rode him and couldn&rsquo;t have been happier. If he wins the Roy Higgins there&rsquo;s a chance he goes to the Sydney Cup next month but if we think he&rsquo;s not ready we&rsquo;ll pull the pin, send him to the paddock, and get him ready for the Melbourne Cup.&rdquo;
&ldquo;His jump-out on Tuesday was the same as how he jumped out before he won the Torney Cup. We&rsquo;re rapt and couldn&rsquo;t be happier.&rdquo; <a href="https://horsebetting.com.au/deakin-primed-for-roy-higgins-tilt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Written by Horsebetting.com.au&nbsp;</a>

Deakin primed for Roy Higgins tilt

Phillip Stokes has won two Adelaide Cups, and he's perfectly poised for a third next month with imposing two-pronged attack&nbsp;<a title="www.racenet.com.au" href="https://www.racenet.com.au/profiles/horse/deakin-fr">Deakin</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a title="www.racenet.com.au" href="https://www.racenet.com.au/profiles/horse/taramansour-ire">Taramansour</a>.
The expat South Australian, now based at Pakenham, won the 2021 and '22 Adelaide Cups with Good Idea and Daqiansweet Junior, but he's never had a better chance than this year with exciting stayer Deakin.
Stayers are typically labelled as dour or gritty rather than exciting, but Deakin's five-length romp in the Group 2 Torney Cup (2500m) at&nbsp;<a title="www.racenet.com.au" href="https://www.racenet.com.au/tracks/vic/moonee-valley">The Valley</a>&nbsp;was enough to rouse anyone that saw it.
Deakin, previously trained by Joseph O'Brien in Ireland, has won two of four starts under&nbsp;<a title="www.racenet.com.au" href="https://www.racenet.com.au/profiles/trainer/phillip-stokes">Stokes</a>&nbsp;since arriving in Australia, and is raced by OTI racing.
"He's a very progressive horse, he's done this all in one prep, coming over from Europe &ndash; they don't often do that," Stokes said.
"There's a lot of upside. Does he run two-mile? I don't know. That's why he's going to the Adelaide Cup.
"We're going to give it a go, and if he can run the two-mile &ndash; he'll be very competitive." 
The five-year-old gelding has never ventured beyond 2514m, but has won both career starts around that marker.
"He's very clean-winded, as European horses are, which is a big positive," he said.
"(Daniel)&nbsp;<a title="www.racenet.com.au" href="https://www.racenet.com.au/profiles/jockey/daniel-stackhouse">Stackhouse</a>&nbsp;is pretty bullish he can run it &ndash; let's hope."
Daqiansweet Junior competed in two Melbourne Cups for Stokes, finishing sixth (2022) and fifth (2023), and Stokes is harbouring&nbsp;<a title="www.racenet.com.au" href="https://www.racenet.com.au/melbourne-cup">Melbourne Cup</a>&nbsp;ambitions with Deakin if can prove formidable at the two-mile.
"I feel he (Deakin) is in front of where Daqiansweet Junior was at the same stage," he said.
"He's a very progressive horse, and very exciting.
"We'll just weigh it up (Melbourne Cup).
"If we went to a&nbsp;<a title="www.racenet.com.au" href="https://www.racenet.com.au/group-one-races/sydney-cup">Sydney Cup</a>&nbsp;we'll just tip him straight out and go for the traditional route to a Melbourne Cup."
Deakin's partner in crime for the Adelaide Cup will be stablemate Taramansour, who was a fast-finishing third in last Saturday's Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes (2600m) at&nbsp;<a title="www.racenet.com.au" href="https://www.racenet.com.au/tracks/sa/morphettville">Morphettville</a>, a traditional lead-up to the Adelaide Cup.
"The barrier cost him on Saturday, if he drew a barrier, gets a few pairs closer &ndash; he wins it," Stokes said.
"It'll be the same sort of horses plus what comes from over the border, I think he'll be fine, he's in Adelaide now and has settled in well.
"Lachy Neindorf will ride him, he knows a bit more about the horse now, hopefully he draws a barrier and he'll be thereabouts too, don't worry."
Daniel Stackhouse will retain the ride on Deakin for the Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) on March 10. By Racenet's Tyler Maund&nbsp;

Stokes in strong position for third Adelaide Cup

Deakin&rsquo;s 5.5 length win in the Listed Torney Night Cup at The Valley last Friday night confirmed him as one of the favourites for the 3200m Group 2 Adelaide Cup on March 10.
Bred in France by OTI &amp; partners, the gelding, by Australia, was initially placed with Joseph O&rsquo;Brien in Ireland. With Joseph, the horse won two of his eight races and looked a most progressive type.
Since arriving in Australia as a 5yo, Deakin has settled into Phillip Stokes&rsquo; stable extremely well. A tall, impressive looking chestnut, there was concern on Friday night about the firmness of the track. However Deakin seemed to handle it very well and came out of the race soundly.
In recent years, Philip has had an excellent run with horses going into the Adelaide Cup. He won the race in 2021 and 2022 with Good Idea and Daquinsweet Junior respectively. He was then 3rd with Amade in 2023 and most unlucky with the same horse in 2024 when 4th despite the saddle slipping early in the race. This year, Phillip is following the same pattern as he did with the Daqiansweet Junior, giving confidence that the horse will be ready to peak on the day.
Deakin is a true International horse. Having been bred in France, raced in Ireland and the UK, he has owners in the UK as well as from around Australia. Still very lightly raced, he is a most promising stayer, not only going into the Adelaide Cup but also into the spring later in the year.

Deakin continues path towards Adelaide Cup

Next month's Adelaide Cup remains the aim for emerging stayer Deakin, who tuned up for his next race-day assignment with a jumpout at Pakenham last week.
Trainer Phillip Stokes said the son of Australia needed the piece of work to maintain fitness between his second placing in a Benchmark 100 handicap at Flemington last month and next week's Torney Night Cup (2500m) at The Valley.
Stokes, who won the Adelaide Cup in 2021 with Good Idea and 2022 with Daqiansweet Junior, said Deakin profiles similarly to the latter, who also ran in the race via the Torney Night Cup.
"He's going really well," Stokes said.
"It's been four weeks between runs, so we just thought we'd give him a tick-over jumpout.
"He's going to go to the Torney Cup on Friday week at The Valley and then he'll go to the Adelaide Cup, all things being well.
"He probably fits the mould of Daqiansweet Junior, who went from the Torney Cup into the Adelaide Cup.
"What excites me most about this horse is that he's still a preparation away, he's still got some maturing to do, so for his first preparation here in Australia, he's done better than (I was) expecting." Formerly trained in Ireland by Joseph O'Brien, Deakin won over 2000m at his second start for Stokes in December.
The five-year-old is a winner over 2500m and could be one of several Stokes-trained runners in the Adelaide Cup, with last-start Listed placegetter Taramansour also in the mix.
The above article was written by Racing.com's James Tzaferis and can be <a href="https://www.racing.com/news/2025-02-17/news-preview-deakin-in-zone-for-cups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read here</a>

Deakin in zone for Cups

Stokes Racing are delighted with this mornings announcement by Racing Victoria, the Pakenham Racing Club and Sportsbet on the launch of Australia&rsquo;s richest maiden series,&nbsp;Sportsbet Future Stars.
As a strong supporter of racing at our 'home track' , the Sportsbet-Pakenham&nbsp;Sportsbet Future Stars&nbsp;delivers a significant win for&nbsp; all in the industry with a lucrative $1.2 million&nbsp;maiden series Our connections will get the chance to chase in 12 maiden heats valued at $75,000 and qualify for the&nbsp; $300,000 final. Stokes Racing are proud of the record our team has at Pakenham: 
<ul>
<li>Pakenham:
<ul>
<li>94 Runners - 19 Winners - 20% Winning S/R</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
 
<ul>
<li>Pakenham Synthetic:
<ul>
<li>114 Runners - 24 Winners - 21% Winning S/R</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
 
* Career Statistics for Stokes Racing&nbsp; - Racing.com as at 28th Nov 2022 Future Stars&nbsp;will launch on 12 January &ndash; the opening Thursday night fixture of the 2022-23 season &ndash; and continue at each Pakenham Thursday night meeting through to the lucrative final on Thursday night, 2 March.
 An overview of&nbsp;Sportsbet Future Stars&nbsp;follows:
<ul>
<li>The series will be open to three, four and five-year-old horses only;</li>
<li>12 maiden heats of $75,000 each over distances of 1200m or 1400m;</li>
<li>A $300,000 final run over 1400m as a Class 3 set weights contest;</li>
<li>The heats and final will feature fields of 12 with the winner of each heat automatically qualifying for the final;</li>
<li>If qualified horses do not accept for the final then their spots are offered to the highest rated second placegetters among the heats;</li>
<li>The final heat will be a 1400m repechage open only to those maidens who contested an earlier heat with priority given to the highest placegetters;</li>
<li>The heats will cater for a broad spectrum of maidens, with two to exclude first starters; and</li>
<li>One heat will be open only to maidens prepared by&nbsp;Victorian trainers who registered fewer than 15 Victorian metropolitan wins in the 2021-22 racing season</li>
</ul>
 
&ldquo;Pakenham Racing Club is excited to be partnering with Sportsbet, Racing Victoria and&nbsp;<a href="https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/B8_zCYW86RIDkl5ls0kJzY?domain=racing.com">Racing.com</a>, to bring this series to life on a Thursday night at Sportsbet-Pakenham. What a brilliant recipe for success!&rdquo; Blair Odgers , PRC Chief Executive Officer&nbsp;
 <a href="https://www.racingvictoria.com.au/news/2022-11-28/australias-richest-maiden-series--set-to-unveil-future-stars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CLICK HERE TO READ FULL DETAIL ON THE FUTURE SERIES</a>

$1.2M Sportsbet Future Stars set Pakenham Racing Club

Irish-bred import Amade returned to the Pakenham stables of Stokes Racing this week in stunning order. The 8yo has been in pre training with Matthew Williams at Warrnambool for 6 weeks and has pleased his team. With an international career taking him to race in the US, UK ,France and Australia, Amade has a cult following among his OTI connections , staff and racing fans.
Amade has been challenged in his journey with tendon and pelvis issues and returned to racing in 2021 after 22 months off to race successfully in Australia ,winning the William Newton VC Handicap, second up over 2600m at Flemington. He was placed on a Melbourne Cup campaign however it wasn't to be with Amade returning to 3 runs in the Spring and finishing a strong 4th to Tralee Rose in the G3 Geelong Cup before again heading to the paddock. Phillip Stokes on Amade and OTI&nbsp; "He's a beautiful galloper that's shown he can match it with the absolute top level. We're all just hoping he gets his deserved chance into the Autumn. Terry Henderson and connections at OTI have been great supporters of the stable and after running 6th with Daqiansweet Junior this year we feel we have the model right."&nbsp;

Amade returns to Autumn tilt

Mileva may be tasked with providing Phillip Stokes consecutive wins in this month's Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) after her last-stride victory in the $200,000 G3 Neds Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Daniel Stackhouse drove Bless Her ($17) along the inside rail from her rearward settling position as they looked set for victory, only for Daniel Moor and Mileva ($4.40) to triumph in the final strides by a short head.
Stokes won last year's Bletchingly with Samson but Mileva, a four-time winner over 1100 metres, has been placed at one of four starts over 1200m.
"1200 metres is the question mark, we're proven up to 1100 metres, but she is a bit stronger now and I'll have a chat to Daniel (Moor)," Stokes said.
"She didn't get tugging too bad (mid-race) so we might have to have a throw at the stumps (in the Bletchingly)."
Mileva's victory in the Monash was her fourth in Stakes company but critically her first at Group level, after claiming the Listed Manihi Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville in March 2021, Listed Alinghi Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield last October and Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m) last December.
"It's very satisfying, the team have done a great job with her. She spelled well, she presented beautifully today and Daniel Moor gave her a lovely ride," Stokes said.
The disappointments in the race were Oxley Road ($2.80 favourite) and Ashford Street ($4.60), who loomed to fight out the finish at the 300-metre mark only to finish seventh and last respectively in the nine-horse field.
"We rolled the dice thinking we'd have a go on the track, at home he's not great on it, but you won't see him again on a rain-affected deck," jockey Luke Nolen said of Oxley Road, who finished two lengths behind Mileva.
Teo Nugent had guided Ashford Street to two-consecutive 1000-metre victories, with all his seven wins having come on rain-affected tracks, but the four-year-old Moshe gelding battled in the Soft 7 conditions.
"The vets will have a check," Nugent said. "He jumped and landed one out, one back and I was pretty happy with our position early but when I pushed the button at the top of the straight, he failed to respond."

Stokes' Mileva salutes in Monash

Phillip Stokes' mare Mileva will be out to build on her strong first-up record when she contests the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
The daughter of Headwater has never finished out of the top two four outings when resuming.
"Mileva's come back in good order," Stokes said.
"She's quite forward for this race, she's had two jumpouts here and we just thought we'd get her up and about for the early part of the spring and then see where she ends up."
Daniel Moor is booked to ride Mileva, who hasn't raced since March and Stokes has noticed some physical changes to the four-year-old in that time.
"She has matured a bit; she's strengthened up a little bit," he said.
"All things being equal, she's got to step up again but I'm expecting a good run."
Mileva has only had five starts for the Pakenham-based trainer but has already registered two victories at Listed level in that time, so what is the key to getting the best out of her?
"Once you've got her fit, you've just got to keep her fresh and happy and she seems to like being trained like that," Stokes replied.
"Just keep her to the sprint trips and she always gives you a good sight."

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