03-05-2025
All stoked up with Femminile
Femminile became the second filly in a row to claim the South Australian Derby at Morphettville (2,500m) on May 3.
Last year, it was second favourite Coco Sun who delivered the A$1 million (S$836,000) Group 1 event for trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy's and jockey Jamie Melham's (then Kah) first success in the Adelaide classic.
Similarly, Femminile allowed both trainer Philip Stokes and jockey Lachlan Neindorf to enter their home Derby honour roll for the first time, except that the Dundeel three-year-old was a lot less fancied at $103 on the Singapore tote.
But from the halfway mark, she was travelling a lot more like a $10 favourite as she crept up along the rails for LachlanNeindorf, taking all the shortcuts home.
She did not go around any runners as she went for broke upon straightening, collaring race-leader Goldrush Guru (Jason Holder) from underneath him before setting sail for home.
Femminile may have hit the front too soon, but even if the last 300m of the home straight must have felt endless to connections, she kept hitting the line strongly.
Favourite Statuario (John Allen) rushed home late but had to settle for second place 3/4-length away with second favourite Lavalier completing the trifecta another 1 3/4 lengths away, failing to give Melham back-to-back Derby wins.
On the other hand, OTI Racing has gone one better after Warmonger could come only within 1½ lengths of Coco Sun last year.
"We're just so proud. This horse has been prepped up an absolute treat," said Stokes' assistant-trainer son Tommy.
"Full credit to the team at Pakenham and Morphettville. It's a big operation, the team, mum and dad put in a lot of work.
"She's just been prepped up a tee. The back-up really suited, stepping up in trip. We were doing a bit of a rain dance before today but she didn't need it.
"Lachie gave her an absolute peach. It was quite an effortless watch in the end.
"It's another Group 1 winner for OTI. Can't wait to celebrate, it's a shame dad's (at Caulfield) not here, but I'm sure he's super proud.
"So rapt for Lachie. He does a fair bit of work on this filly, but that was his first race ride on her."
Neindorf, 22, was at his second Group 1 win after breaking his duck at the elite level with another Stokes ward, Climbing Star in the Robert Sangster Stakes (1,200m) a year ago on April 27, 2024.
While Neindorf could not control the waterworks at that milestone, he was a lot more composed this time, but just as overjoyed.
"It's funny. About a month after (the Robert Sangster), I went to Flemington, rode one for Phil and the team," said Neindorf.
"Think it was Pat Carey next to Phil, he said 'gee, you must've taught that boy everything', Phil said 'I didn't teach him how to bloody cry'.
"So, from that day on, you know what, I'm not crying again. No more tears."
The 10-out-of-10 handling from barrier No. 2 itself was the epitome of coolness.
"I just said to the boys pre-race, let's just lob out and keep her happy. I think these distance races, you see a lot of these top-class jockeys, they just worry about the race from the 1,200m onwards," he said.
"Before that, it's just about getting the horse to relax and get the rhythm in. It was a bit messy, a few horses got pulling, but she just copped it all.
"I was on the back of John Allen and trusted he would take me around and (I was) ready to go.
"He popped off the fence and I lost his back. I thought, let's make it up as we go, the seas just parted."
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