Stokes’ Focus shifts to VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes

Stay Focused is considered the best chance to break a decade-long hoodoo when he contests Saturday’s VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Flemington.

The Phillip Stokes-trained colt heads to the $300,000 Group 2 off a fifth placing in the Blue Diamond, once the prime lead-up to the Sires’, which until 2005 carried Group 1 status.

Between 1989 and 2002, eight of the 14 winners of the 1400-metre event came through the Diamond, including gun two-year-olds Canny Lad and Testa Rossa.

But since 2002, only Rostova (2009), Running Tall (2011) and Zululand (2014) won the Sires’ out of what is now Victoria’s only juvenile Group 1.

Since Zululand, 12 youngsters who ran in the Diamond have contested the Sires’ with 2017 runner-up Aspect and 2015 third placegetter Sampeah the only ones to place.

The Sires’ was not always on the agenda for Stay Focused, but Stokes said it was a good option to test the son of Cosmic Force at 1400 metres.

“We thought it was just the nice logical stepping stone for him to see if he can run the 1400 out and give us an idea where he sits distance-wise,” Stokes said.

“I think he’s always had the scope and length to get that trip, so I’m pretty confident he will.”

Stay Focused, the $2.25 favourite with aussie betting apps for the Sires’, will be joined by Traffic Warden (eighth), Rue De Royale (10th) and Flyer (15th) as Sires’ runners out of the Diamond.

Stay Focused was the first colt home in the Blue Diamond and Stokes considered his effort to be beaten less than 1-1/2 lengths after a wide run meritorious.

“If he’d just drawn a barrier he would have been even closer again,” Stokes said.

“Initially he felt the run a bit, but then he bounced back out of it good and I’ve been very happy with him.”

Stay Focused has been ridden by Daniel Stackhouse at each of his three starts, which also include a debut Geelong win and Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude second placing to Bodyguard, but Mark Zahra has been given the keys for the Sires’.