Femminile to be ridden by Shinn
BRISBANE Trainer Phillip Stokes is doing everything in his power to ensure Group 1 winner Femminile gets the best chances in the A$1 million (S$832,000) Group 1 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm on May 31.
The Pakenham trainer has engaged one of Australia's top hoops to take the reins on Femminile and he has received a commitment from Blake Shinn to ride the three-year-old daughter of Dundeel.
The 2,400-metre event will be run four days after the recent winner of the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2,500m) is offered for the sale at the Magic Millions National Broodmare sale on May 27.
Stokes said the bay filly, who will trial at Pakenham on May 20, presents a great opportunity for prospective buyers.
"She's going through the sale a few days before, so the new buyers can have a runner in the Derby," said Stokes.
"She'll have a reverse trial on Tuesday and then go up at the end of the week. She seems well."
Femminile became the second filly in a row to upstage the boys in the South Australian Derby on May 3, after Coco Sun won the Adelaide classic in 2024.
Femminile was then ridden by Lachlan Neindorf, who carried the OTI Racing colours to victory at Morphettville.
2008 Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Shinn, who also bagged eight winners over two stints in Singapore in 2015 and 2022, will be chasing back-to-back Queensland Derbys in the same colours.
in 2024, he partnered the OTI Racing Stable-owned Warmonger to a brilliant 10½ length-win.
Femminile will be one of three Stokes-trained runners Shinn rides on May 31. He is also booked on Regal Azmon and Stay Focused.
Stokes is keen to test the seven-year-old Regal Azmon beyond 1,600m after his barnstorming win in the Group 3 Cummings Stakes at Morphettville on May 10, with the Group 2 Lord Mayor's Cup (1,800m) on May 31 identified as a good option.
"I thought he's in his career-best form, so we might as well have a crack at that," he said.
"He's an older horse, but he's going as good as ever."
The Queensland Derby is one of two Group 1 races to be run at the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival at Eagle Farm on May 31. The other highlight is the A$1 million Kingsford Smith Cup (1,300m).
On May 24, the Group 1 spotlight will be shining on Doomben instead, with the clash of 2024 Australian Horse of the Year Pride Of Jenni and Queensland star Antino in the A$1 million Doomben Cup (2,000m) set to turn heads.
After finishing last in the Group 1 Champions Mile (1,600m) at Flemington on Nov 9, 2024, Pride Of Jenni bled and was initally retired by her owners, but the Ciaron Maher-trained mare surprised many by coming out of retirement in early 2025.
The seven-year-old daughter of Pride Of Dubai has since won twice from three starts, including the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1,800m) on March 15 and her last start in the Listed Anniversary Vase (1,600m) on May 3. Both races were run at Caulfield.
Craig Newitt, who was her winning partner in the two races, will take the reins on Pride Of Jenni.
Recent Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1,800m) winner Antino will be ridden by Shinn again. Then, given an astute ride by Shinn, the Tony Gollan-trained six-year-old dashed clear to win by 3½ lengths at Gold Coast on May 10.
The Brisbane Racing Club will "shout the bar", or give a free round of beers to racegoers should favourite Pride Of Jenni or Antino wins the Doomben Cup.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong's homegrown talent Matthew Poon has also earned a ride in the Doomben Cup on Klondike for trainers John O'Shea and Tom Charlton.
The Galileo five-year-old last won the Group 3 Prix De Reux (2,500m) at Deauville in France last August, when under the care of William Haggas.
"I was really surprised. I was very happy to get the opportunity because it is one of my career goals to ride in a Group 1 overseas, so I'm really keen on this opportunity and I really appreciate it," Poon told the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
"I think this will be a really good experience to get rides, especially in a Group 1, in a different country."
The 2015/16 South Australian champion apprentice's biggest career win was on Straight Arron in the Group 2 Chairman's Trophy (1,600m) at Sha Tin on March 30. SKY RACING WORLD
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