Stockdale seeks breakthrough Guineas victory at Flemington

Thomas Stockdale, the jockey, aims to extend the thrill of first-time fatherhood with elite-level achievement at Flemington.

In the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) on Saturday, Stockdale rides Simon Zahra's Onavuitton, facing a tough three-year-old mile race that frequently produces unexpected outcomes.

With wife Lily – former jockey Peter Mertens' daughter – they became parents to Ronnie on Sunday, and the new-dad buzz persists for Stockdale.

"They got home on Tuesday, and I've been pretty much running on adrenalin since," Stockdale said.

Parenting happiness aside, Stockdale is intent on Saturday's challenge for his career's landmark win.

He earlier secured the Magic Millions 2YO Classic aboard Unit Five at the Gold Coast this year, but Group 1 glory, especially now, would eclipse it.

A $26 shot, Onavuitton trails Observer ($2.30), Sixties ($2.90) and Planet Red ($4.80) in markets, yet the Australian Guineas history includes Lunar Fox's $301 win in 2021 and Feroce at $14 last year.

With four career starts, Onavuitton was third in the Group 2 VRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington last March.

Last month he took a Cranbourne maiden, then was fourth to Observer in Caulfield's Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) on February 7.

"We were happy with his run," Stockdale said.

"He was a month between runs, and they never sat up in the race. They ran along at a good clip the whole way and Observer, he's a class horse.

"I thought he did a good job to keep rolling along on the hot speed like he did, especially off the gap between runs.

"He would have benefitted off it, and if you take the top three out and it's a very even race.

"He always puts his best foot forward and his run in the Sires' at Flemington was good and I think getting back to the bigger track at Flemington is only going to help him, especially stepping up to the mile.

"It's a race that can throw up a rough result and Simon's team is flying, they're getting result after result and I'm confident they will have him in tip-top order on Saturday."

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