Maybe Discreet, trained Phillip Stokes, hasnt raced since May . Picture: Calum Robertson Source: HeraldSun
PHILLIP Stokes is hoping his successful weekend can be replicated when he returns to Melbourne this weekend.
Stokes produced a training double at Morphettville on Saturday before Eclair Big Bang enhanced his Caulfield Guineas prospects with his impressive prelude win at Caulfield on Sunday.
But the boys will take a back seat this week as he returns with a trio of mares, led by last year’s Schweppes Oaks winner Maybe Discreet.
“It was a fantastic result, the horses are coming right at the right time,’’ Stokes said yesterday.
Group 1 winning mare Maybe Discreet will have her second run back from a spell in the Group 2 Blazer Stakes at Flemington on the back of a eye-catching return to racing behind top local sprinter Karacatis in the Wylie Stakes in Adelaide.
“She’s run in the Group 2,’’ Stokes added.
“She ran super first-up. She has come back in very good order and she’ll keep getting better heading towards the Myer Classic later in the spring.’’
Stablemate Just Discreet will bypass the Group 2 Gilgai in preference for the Headquarters Tavern Stakes over the 1410m trip a race that will see another stablemate - Molto Bene - have her first start in Melbourne since running favourite in last year’s Group 1 Thousand Guineas.
Stokes made the decision to leave Guineas fancy Eclair Big Bang in Melbourne in preparation for the $1m feature at Caulfield in just under two weeks time.
“I find you can travel them (from Adelaide to Melbourne) twice in a preparation but not a third time,’’ he added.
In contrast Hucklebuck has returned to Adelaide after a luckless Melbourne debut at Moonee Valley on Friday night, Stokes now bypassing the Blue Sapphire Stakes on Caulfield Guineas day as he looks to get Hucklebuck out over more ground.
“He was obviously unlucky, but Moonee Valley is one of those tracks,’’ he added.
“He felt the run a little bit.’’
“He’ll probably go back in three weeks time, there are plenty of options for him. I think he’d find them a little to sharp in a couple of weeks time (in the Blue Sapphire), but a race like the Carbine Club Stakes or Sandown Guineas could be OK for him.’’
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