Latest news with #PhillipStokes
The Australian
05-08-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Chris Waller set to have at least 28 entries in quest for third Caulfield Cup
Champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller will have at least 28 chances for a third Caulfield Cup when nominations for the Melbourne Racing Club's showpiece close on Tuesday. Waller won the Caulfield Cup with Verry Elleegant and Durston in 2020 and 2022 respectively and prepares Aeliana, the $8 favourite in early betting on the 2025 edition of the $5m handicap. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Aeliana easily won the Australian Derby at Randwick in the autumn and was narrowly beaten in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas last spring at her last Caulfield appearance. However, Waller has warned punters Aeliana was unlikely to tackled the Caulfield Cup as a four-year-old. Waller's Caulfield Cup team includes last year's runner-up Buckaroo as well as a host of stable recruits, including the South Australian Derby winner Femminile. • Mr Brightside 'felt great' in Flemington trial Phillip Stokes trained Femminile to her South Australian Derby success in May but new owners Yulong Investments transferred the four-year-old to Waller's after her unplaced run in the Queensland Derby. While Stokes lost Femminile, he has entered the exciting stayer Deakin for the Caulfield Cup. Deakin has a ballot exemption for the Melbourne Cup after winning the Roy Higgins at Flemington in March. Waller's team includes several imports that have not yet raced for his stable, including Go Daddy, a multiple stakes placegetter in Europe last year, and Mr Monaco, a lightly-raced son of Territories. • Brad Waters' horses to follow from Flemington on Saturday Last year's Caulfield Cup-winning trainer Ciaron Maher will have at least nine entries in this year's race. The 2024 Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa is among the entries along with recent stable acquisition Zardozi. Zardozi joined Maher's stable after Godolphin dispersed their massive team among several stables following the departure of private trainer James Cummings to take up a contract in Hong Kong. Zardozi won the Group 1 VRC Oaks as a three-year-old and finished fourth in both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups last year. Caulfield Cup nominations close at noon on Tuesday.
News.com.au
04-08-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Chris Waller set to have at least 28 nominations in quest for third Caulfield Cup
Champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller will have at least 28 chances for a third Caulfield Cup when nominations for the Melbourne Racing Club's showpiece close on Tuesday. Waller won the Caulfield Cup with Verry Elleegant and Durston in 2020 and 2022 respectively and prepares Aeliana, the $8 favourite in early betting on the 2025 edition of the $5m handicap. Aeliana easily won the Australian Derby at Randwick in the autumn and was narrowly beaten in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas last spring at her last Caulfield appearance. However, Waller has warned punters Aeliana was unlikely to tackled the Caulfield Cup as a four-year-old. Waller's Caulfield Cup team includes last year's runner-up Buckaroo as well as a host of stable recruits, including the South Australian Derby winner Femminile. Phillip Stokes trained Femminile to her South Australian Derby success in May but new owners Yulong Investments transferred the four-year-old to Waller's after her unplaced run in the Queensland Derby. While Stokes lost Femminile, he has entered the exciting stayer Deakin for the Caulfield Cup. DUKE DE SESSA LEADS ALL THE WAY TO WIN THE CAULFIELD CUP! ðŸ�† @cmaherracing @HTCoffey — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) October 19, 2024 Deakin has a ballot exemption for the Melbourne Cup after winning the Roy Higgins at Flemington in March. Waller's team includes several imports that have not yet raced for his stable, including Go Daddy, a multiple stakes placegetter in Europe last year, and Mr Monaco, a lightly-raced son of Territories. Last year's Caulfield Cup-winning trainer Ciaron Maher will have at least nine entries in this year's race. The 2024 Caulfield Cup winner Duke De Sessa is among the entries along with recent stable acquisition Zardozi. Zardozi joined Maher's stable after Godolphin dispersed their massive team among several stables following the departure of private trainer James Cummings to take up a contract in Hong Kong. Zardozi Melbourne Cups last year. Caulfield Cup nominations close at noon on Tuesday.
News.com.au
13-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Phillip Stokes working on Memsie Stakes return for Melbourne Cup contender Deakin
Time is something of which trainer Phillip Stokes has plenty when plotting Deakin's road to November's Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Stokes had the benefit of knowing he had a Melbourne Cup runner the moment Deakin earned a ballot exemption with his win as an odds-on favourite in the Listed Roy Higgins at Flemington in March. Bookmakers thought enough of Deakin's win months out from the 2025 edition of Australia's great race to position him on the fourth line of Melbourne Cup betting at $15. Deakin surprised Stokes with his rapid development at his first Australian campaign. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Stokes noted many imports improved at their second local preparations but Deakin posted an easy win at Pakenham at his second Victorian start before saluting by more than five lengths in the Listed Torney Cup at The Valley two starts later. 'It's very unheard of,' Stokes said of Deakin's immediate impact on Victoria's staying ranks. 'I remember I had a horse years ago, Aesop, his first prep I was getting beaten in benchmark 64s at Sale and said this horse is no good and he came out the next prep winning Saturday races. 'That's the improvement they can make.' Stokes said Deakin had further acclimatised to Victoria, aligning his coat with the current conditions instead of being out of sync as he was when first arrived. Deakin refuses to give in to Berkshire Breeze, who made a race of the Roy Higgins, but wasn't able to go past the gallant @pstokesracing stayer ðŸ'° We'll see you on the first Tuesday in November, Deakin 😉 @DanielStack33 — (@Racing) March 29, 2025 • 'She is lucky not to be blind': Appeal launched to aid fallen track rider 'Last time he had a winter coat in the middle of summer. He's one we're very excited about,' Stokes said. 'We're really happy with him. He's come back stronger.' Stokes said Deakin was set to trial at Caulfield at the end of July. He said the son of Australia would build fitness for the Melbourne Cup via the traditional path, starting with the Group 1 Memsie Stakes before building to the Makybe Diva Stakes, Turnbull Stakes and Caulfield Cup. 'He was out for nearly eight weeks. Had a good break,' Stokes said. 'His first two runs will be too short, but in the Turnbull, he'll run well. 'Going through previous winners of all those Melbourne Cups, Caulfield Cups, they all seem to start there, seems to be a traditional path. 'We're going to try and repeat history, what all the good horses have done.' Stokes has a good guide to Australia's 3200m features via the deeds of the recently retired Daqiansweet Junior, who won an Adelaide Cup, finished third in a Sydney Cup as well as fifth and sixth in two cracks at the Melbourne Cup. Stokes said Deakin had a talent edge on Daqiansweet Junior but a question remained over the promising stayer. 'He's better than Daqiansweet Junior,' Stokes said. 'We'll find out.'
The Australian
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Phillip Stokes filly Ferivia backs up trial form with super debut win at Murray Bridge
Hype filly Ferivia backed up a brilliant trial win to dispatch her rivals on debut, as the Phillip Stokes and Lachlan Neindorf pairing nailed a dominant early double on Saturday's nine-race card at Murray Bridge. Settling handy in third, Ferivia sprinted powerfully at the 300m, shaking off fellow debutant Bardigrub, en route to a cruisy 3¾-length win in a Benchmark 66 (1000m). • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The two-year-old daughter of Astern indicated raw talent in a Morphettville trial last week, defeating highly-touted stablemate La Roux. Ferivia was crunched in betting, jumping as a $1.80 favourite (Sportsbet), and punters were handed a painless watch. 'The trial was very good, she's a horse that has kept improving this whole prep, every trial she's had, she's come on in leaps and bounds,' assistant trainer Kerrin Stokes said. 'We were confident today, but I thought there were a few horses with some nice ability as well, so maybe she's got something there. 'It never looked in doubt really, she's a horse that we feel does have ability, and she might just prove us right.' • 'Very exciting' In Flight on Group 1 path after Monash success A tilt at Morphettville's Lightning Stakes (1050m) on July 26 is no doubt enticing, the stable won the race with Buddy Bundy in 2014. 'We just wanted to get through today, we'll see how she pulls up, if she comes on with it – we might have to,' he said. Neindorf, who also steered stablemate Noetzie ($3.40) to a commanding five-length win, has a big opinion of Ferivia. 'I did her last piece of work on Thursday, the feel she gave me those few times sitting on her, I wouldn't have expected anything less today,' Neindorf said. 'She's got a lot of depth, it's not the last time we'll see her in the winner's stall. 'She gave me a sensational feeling. She really extended her action, she's going to go quite a way this filly, she's got a fair bit of potential.' Noetzie was also a dominant winner for Neindorf at Murray Bridge on Saturday. Picture: Makoto Kaneko • 'So proud of her': Besanko shares special win with daughter Ferivia and Noetzie may be on a collision course, with Stokes revealing that Noetzie, a three-year-old by Harry Angel, may also head to the Lightning. Both youngsters are owned by long-time Stokes supporters, the Brooks family, who also own Stokes' stakes-winning colt, Matagha. Returning apprentice Alana Livesey found herself back on the winner's list, the hoop sustained a broken hand in a fall at Port Lincoln in March, and returned to race riding on Wednesday. Livesey booted home a double aboard Harley'n'rose ($10) and Headphones ($16), while Victorian hoop Alana Kelly also nailed multiple winners on Fast Bubbles ($12) and Classy Kenny ($20). Alana Livesey, aboard Harley'n'rose, celebrates the first of two winners on Saturday. Picture: Makoto Kaneko Neindorf's double sees him trail Rochelle Milnes (43) by just four wins in the Adelaide jockeys' premiership, with two meetings remaining in the season. Neindorf sits equal second with Taylor Johnstone on 39 wins. Stokes remains in control of the Adelaide trainers' premiership with 44 wins.
News.com.au
12-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Phillip Stokes filly Ferivia backs up trial form with super debut win at Murray Bridge
Hype filly Ferivia backed up a brilliant trial win to dispatch her rivals on debut, as the Phillip Stokes and Lachlan Neindorf pairing nailed a dominant early double on Saturday's nine-race card at Murray Bridge. Settling handy in third, Ferivia sprinted powerfully at the 300m, shaking off fellow debutant Bardigrub, en route to a cruisy 3¾-length win in a Benchmark 66 (1000m). The two-year-old daughter of Astern indicated raw talent in a Morphettville trial last week, defeating highly-touted stablemate La Roux. Ferivia was crunched in betting, jumping as a $1.80 favourite (Sportsbet), and punters were handed a painless watch. 'The trial was very good, she's a horse that has kept improving this whole prep, every trial she's had, she's come on in leaps and bounds,' assistant trainer Kerrin Stokes said. 'We were confident today, but I thought there were a few horses with some nice ability as well, so maybe she's got something there. 'It never looked in doubt really, she's a horse that we feel does have ability, and she might just prove us right.' Ferivia justifies the short quote as she takes over in the final furlong for a strong debut victory at Murray Bridge 😤 @pstokesracing @LNeindorf — (@Racing) July 12, 2025 A tilt at Morphettville's Lightning Stakes (1050m) on July 26 is no doubt enticing, the stable won the race with Buddy Bundy in 2014. 'We just wanted to get through today, we'll see how she pulls up, if she comes on with it – we might have to,' he said. Neindorf, who also steered stablemate Noetzie ($3.40) to a commanding five-length win, has a big opinion of Ferivia. 'I did her last piece of work on Thursday, the feel she gave me those few times sitting on her, I wouldn't have expected anything less today,' Neindorf said. 'She's got a lot of depth, it's not the last time we'll see her in the winner's stall. 'She gave me a sensational feeling. She really extended her action, she's going to go quite a way this filly, she's got a fair bit of potential.' • 'So proud of her': Besanko shares special win with daughter Ferivia and Noetzie may be on a collision course, with Stokes revealing that Noetzie, a three-year-old by Harry Angel, may also head to the Lightning. Both youngsters are owned by long-time Stokes supporters, the Brooks family, who also own Stokes' stakes-winning colt, Matagha. Returning apprentice Alana Livesey found herself back on the winner's list, the hoop sustained a broken hand in a fall at Port Lincoln in March, and returned to race riding on Wednesday. Livesey booted home a double aboard Harley'n'rose ($10) and Headphones ($16), while Victorian hoop Alana Kelly also nailed multiple winners on Fast Bubbles ($12) and Classy Kenny ($20). Neindorf's double sees him trail Rochelle Milnes (43) by just four wins in the Adelaide jockeys' premiership, with two meetings remaining in the season. Neindorf sits equal second with Taylor Johnstone on 39 wins. Stokes remains in control of the Adelaide trainers' premiership with 44 wins.
