Written by Paul Vettise
Instant Celebrity (Not A Single Doubt) has confirmed plans to target a Group 1 spring fillies’ feature with a quality performance to overcome a far from ideal passage to take top honours in the Listed Oaklands Plate at Morphettville.
Trainer Phillip Stokes has held a healthy opinion of the chestnut for some time and she’s repaid the faith in her with an unbeaten record following a debut success and victory in Saturday’s 2-year-old feature.
Stokes will not get serious with Instant Celebrity to plot a path toward the G1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield in October.
“That will be the plan. It’s probably not the preparation, but we’re really going to look after her and make sure it happens,” the trainer’s son Tommy said.
“It’s probably not the preparation, but we’re really going to look after her and make sure it happens.” – Tommy Stokes
Instant Celebrity had a wide gate to contend with at Morphettville and settled toward the back of the field under rider Kayla Crowther and the pair got pushed wide when trying to circle the field.
“It didn’t work out and she was still too good for them and probably made Kayla look good last start and today,” the trainer’s son Tommy said. “It was a very good effort and all credit to the team.”
Instant Celebrity had won at the first time of asking over 1050 metres in mid-June and had to make the step to 1400 metres in the Oaklands.
“I’ve got a really big opinion of this horse, although I was a bit worried because the preparation hasn’t worked out 100 per cent right,” Stokes said.
“There wasn’t any lead-up run for her because a fortnight ago it was a SABOIS race and she wasn’t eligible for that. We gave her a solid jump-out in between races and really made her work that day and it’s paid off.”
“We gave her a solid jump-out in between races and really made her work that day and it’s paid off.” – Tommy Stokes
It was a memorable victory for Crowther as it posted the 100th winner of her season following success earlier the day aboard Territory Titan (Red Element).
Instant Celebrity had 0.8l to spare on The Brumby (Spirit Of Boom), the best of the five Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained contenders, with Another Award (Shamus Award) next home with a wide margin to the fourth-placed The Krone (Dissident).
Not A Single Doubt, sire of Instant Celebrity
Bred and raced by Robertson Equine Investments, Instant Celebrity is a daughter of Celebrity Girl (Starcraft {NZ}), who was a capable galloper with victories in the Listed Cap d’Antibes S. and the Listed Redelva S. to her credit.
Celebrity Girl, whose three foals to race have all been successful, is a half-sister to the dam of the G3 Star Kingdom S. winner Generalife (Lonhro), who also finished third in the G1 Stradbroke H.
The G3 Blue Diamond S. Preview and Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. winner Northeast Sheila (Keltrice), dam of the stakes winner and multiple Group placegetter Jacqueline Rouge (Ne Coupez Pas {USA}), also features prominently in the pedigree.
