Cover image courtesy of Phillip Stokes Racing
Last season, Phillip Stokes had a great run with G1 South Australian Derby winner Wigmore (NZ) (Sweynesse), Arran Bay (All Too Hard), and several others such as Kazaru (NZ) (Embellish {NZ}) who won the Listed Tasmanian Oaks. Exciting juveniles Stretan Angel (Harry Angel {Ire}) won the G2 Silver Slipper Stakes, Verzain (Zousain) who won the G3 SAJC Breeders’ Stakes and Rebel Tuesday (Rebel Dane), winner of the Listed Cinderella Stakes.
This season, he's formed a training partnership with son Tommy to run their Victorian branch, while his other son Kerrin runs their Adelaide stable. Tommy spoke to TTR about their spring plans for many of the stable's bigger names.
3-year-olds
Stretan Ruler, 3-year-old colt (Wild Ruler x Sretan {Bernardini {USA}})
“Stretan Ruler is a 3-year-old colt now. He finished last prep running in the Golden Slipper and is a Group 2 winner already. He’s going to go first up into the Danehill with the view of a Coolmore Stud Stakes prep, so all going well he’ll be third up into the Coolmore.”
Aragog, 3-year-old colt (Dundeel (NZ) x Pipiana (NZ) {Highly Recommended})
“We think Aragog can be our Derby horse this year. He's going to go first up in the Mike Moroney this coming Saturday and then work his way up. Hopefully he can stay and we think he can. He can go into the Super Impose second up and then a Caulfield Classic (October 17) into the Derby fourth up.”
Big Wigs, 3-year-old colt (Gold Standard x Nooks And Crannies {Denman})
“Big Wigs has been going well. He ran well first up, and we're going to target a Caulfield Guineas with him.”
Gallery: Phillips Stokes Racing's 3-year-old horses
Older horses
Regal Award, 4-year-old gelding (Ole Kirk x Sovereign Award {Shamus Award})
“Regal Award is one of our most exciting 4-year-olds. He's going to go first up into the G1 Sir Rupert Clark over the 1400. Under handicap conditions, he should be getting in light enough in the weights and should take some catching first up. We're going to have him pretty forward for that. And then our end aim is to go third up into a Golden Eagle at 1500. It’ll be a short three-run prep for him.
“The Golden Eagle will be a very hot race, but we know how good that prizemoney is. So if you can run top four in that, that'll be huge.”
Deakin (Fr), 7-year-old gelding (Australia (GB) x Dealbata (Ire) {Dubawi {Ire}})
“He ran third in the Heatherly first up at Caulfield the other day and run super. He’s going to the Naturalism then into a Turnbull Stakes, then fourth up he’s going to go to the Caulfield Cup.
“It's a proven formula and we think he's going better than ever and are looking forward to him.”
Athanatos, 5-year-old gelding (I Am Immortal x Mumbeilly (NZ) {O’Reilly {NZ}})
“Anthanatos is going better than ever, and we are going to target him at the Five Diamonds.”
Wigmore (NZ), 4-year-old gelding (Sweynesse x Del Mondo (USA) {More Than Ready {USA}})
“Wigmore is going to have a short, soft spring campaign and have a tougher autumn campaign. He’ll go first up into the Naturalism, with his long term target being the Queen Elizabeth or maybe the Geelong Cup. We will miss all those tough races this prep, then go a bit harder after a break.”
Gallery: Phillips Stokes Racing's older horses
2-year-olds
Unnamed, 2-year-old colt (Tagaloa x Who Doubted Me {Not A Single Doubt})
“The Tagaloa colt from Who Doubted Me seems early.”
Trilogy Racing, Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) and 888 Racing paid $70,000 for him from Alma Vale Thoroughbreds’ Magic Millions March Yearling Sale draft. His 3-year-old half-brother High Authority (Lucky Vega {Ire}) was a juvenile winner last season. Who Doubted Me is a winning half-sister to Group 2 winner See You In Heaven (Divine Prophet).
Unnamed, 2-year-old filly (Stay Inside x Bucasia {Mossman})
“She looks early.”
Stokes Racing and Rick Connolly Bloodstock paid $150,000 for her at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Amarina Farm’s draft. Bucasia is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Tallow (Street Cry {Ire}), the dam of G1 Golden Slipper winner and sire Farnan as well as Listed winner and sire Sandbar.
Unnamed, 2-year-old colt (Dundeel (NZ) x Shojiki (Redoute’s Choice)
“Probably one to follow long term is the Dundeel colt, but he won’t be early.”
Bred by Mrs S Dunn, he hasn’t been through a public auction. Shojiki won on debut and placed in the G2 Angus Armanasco Stakes. Her first foal, Shocap (Capitalist) has won twice for Stokes Racing while her 3-year-old gelding So Sacred (So You Think {NZ}) is unraced.
Gallery: Phillips Stokes Racing's 2-year-old horses
