Octane stokes up for Victorian return

By Bren O'Brien

The last time Octane (I Am Invincible) raced in Victoria, the one-time $1.4 million yearling's career was on the slide, as he bid farewell to his original trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace with a rather tame fifth in a Wangaratta Class 1.

The mantle of being the most expensive colt ever sold in a Victorian sales ring hung heavy on the half-brother to Group 1-winning sprinter The Quarterback (Street Boss {USA}), who won just one of his six starts before part owner Ken McDonald bought out the remaining shareholders for a sum in the range of $40,000.

Octane lines up at Flemington on Saturday as a 5-year-old revived under the guidance of the Phillip Stokes' stable, and a top chance in 1000 metre BM90 race, the Farewell To Ron Gaylard H.

At last living up to his pedigree, he has won five of his six starts for the stable in South Australia, including fast-finishing successes at Gawler and Morphettville in July for jockey Kayla Crowther.

Due to COVID restrictions, Stokes has barely seen Octane this campaign, so is loathe to take any credit for the revival, but said he is well and truly ready for his shot at Victorian redemption.

"He definitely deserves his chance the way he has been doing it in Adelaide. This is a harder race, but the form around him in Adelaide is against some better horses. We don’t know how he'll go down the straight, but his racing style suggests he might be okay," he said.

"The team in Adelaide have done a very good job with him. We go there open-minded but expecting a good race."

If he follows in the tradition of his half-brother, he should have no problems with the straight. The Quarterback, who was trained by Robbie Griffiths, won five races at Flemington, including a G1 Newmarket H., where he beat Black Heart Bart (Blackfriars) and Chautauqua (Encosta De Lago).

His other stakes-winning half-brother, Philippi (Host {Chi}), won a Listed race at Flemington, albeit over 1800 metres.

Stokes said the key to getting Octane into a winning frame of mind has been starting again with him and then allowing him time to mature.

"We have just kept him to sprinting and kept him very fresh. We gave him a couple of trials over here the prep before, when we sent him over to Adelaide, because we thought he's done it before, winning trials, but come raceday, he just didn’t perform," he said.

"We started again, took everything off him, all the gear and Kayla Crowther just lets him do what he wants to do, and while it might be a bit ugly, he likes to run like that. I think that's what he wants to do, and he doesn’t want to change it and he's been finding the line."

Stokes is hoping the return to Victoria may be a permanent one for Octane, particularly if he shows a liking for racing down the Flemington straight on Saturday under the guidance of Jamie Kah.

"Without getting carried away, there might be a couple of Listed races, maybe over Cup week. I think he can get to that level. He's matured a lot mentally," he said.

"I hadn't seen him for a while, with all the restrictions and he has been back here for a week and compared to where he was a couple of preps ago, he's grown up a lot as a horse.

"It’s been a good story and everything from here on in is a bonus. Ken McDonald bought all the owners out for next to nothing and it’s been a good result for him.

"Sometimes you can be too impatient and sack them too quickly. When he left Victoria, he was going to Adelaide on his way to Darwin, but he deserves to be back in Melbourne now."

Stokes strikes you as a trainer who is big on patience, and it’s something he has been keen to utilise with Snitzkraft (Snitzel), who contests the same race and is looking to a 10-race losing streak, having been close-up in two of his past three starts.

"As long as it’s not too wet, this is his level," he said. "He was going to run second last time, and he hung out. That's him, he's got a few tricks. He's got a good win in him on his day, I've just got to get it out of him."