Stokes follows spring routine with Deakin in Group 3 race

ADELAIDE – Trainer Phillip Stokes will use a training method that Lindsay Park used with great effect when Deakin heads to Adelaide for an upcoming Stakes race.

The Group 3 The Bart Cummings (1,600m) on May 9 will be Deakin’s first of two winter runs, which Stokes hopes will set the six-year-old gelding up for the spring.

The Bart Cummings was formerly known as the R A Lee Stakes and was a race the late Australian champion trainer Colin Hayes and his son David would kick off their imported stayers in ahead of a break to get ready for the spring.

Now, the Hong Kong-based David Hall also used the race as did Lloyd Williams in preparing his Melbourne Cup contenders.

Deakin has not raced since finishing eighth to Half Yours in the 2025 Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2,400m) in October.

He was being ruled out of the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3,200m) through Racing Victoria (RV)’s veterinary protocols thereafter.

The son of Australia had a trial over 1,500m at Caulfield Heath on April 23 to prepare him for Saturday week’s return before he heads to Sydney to run in the Listed Lord Mayor’s Cup (2,000m) at Rosehill on May 30.

Stokes explained the five-time winner had to be sidelined due to a surgery.

“He’s been away for six months and an operation to put screws in his fetlocks,” said Stokes.

“That was his second jump-out and he’ll go to Adelaide on May 9 and go around in the Bart Cummings over a mile which will be a good starting point for him.

“It will only be a two-run prep and then he’ll head up to Sydney to run in the Lord Mayor’s Cup and then he’ll have a little break to get him ready for the spring.

“All things being equal and if we’re happy with him, we’ll put him on a Caulfield Cup path once again, not Melbourne Cup.”

The A$5 million (S$4.56 million) Caulfield Cup is the highlight of the Melbourne Racing Club’s spring carnival and will be held at Caulfield on Oct 17.

Stokes said he does not want to try and pass Deakin for the Melbourne Cup under RV’s veterinary protocols after disagreeing with their judgment in 2025.

“They said he had some changes in his fetlocks,” he said.

“We couldn’t get a reaction out of him, but that’s what they said, so we had to follow the protocol, and we’ve done everything they told us to do, but it set us back a long way.

“They told us to put screws in him and when international horses want to come here with screws in them, they’re not allowed to run.

“My vet and I didn’t agree with them and we thought he was going better than ever.

“I had a horse, Daqiansweet Junior, and he wasn’t sound, but he was okay to run (in the 2023 Melbourne Cup).

“He (Deakin) ran well in the Caulfield Cup last year but didn’t have a great run in it, but I’m not convinced he’s a two-miler anyway.”

Following the trip to Sydney, Stokes said Deakin would be afforded time in the paddock while also kept in light work.

“I didn’t want him having almost a year off; it takes them too long to come back,” he explained.

“I remember Jeune ran in this race, Beldale Ball, Water Boatman and when I first started training, Lloyd Williams used to bring his horses over, give them one run and then start again.

“It’s a nice track to give him his start for his spring campaign.” RACING AND SPORTS