Ferivia heads return for Stokes in Adelaide carnival push

Phillip Stokes has managed admirably after basing himself in Victoria, though trips back to Adelaide remain a highlight.

From his Morphettville stable, Stokes shifts runners seamlessly across borders, and with the Adelaide Carnival's quartet of Group 1 events looming, he seeks to feature prominently again this term following Group 1 triumphs over the last two seasons.

He plans a tilt at the Group 1 1200m sprint duo comprising the Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) come April 25 and The Goodwood (1200m) two weeks on via Ferivia, kicking off her freshen-up in the Group 3 Don Casboult Classic (1200m) this Saturday.

Ferivia last raced when sixth in the Thousand Guineas (1600m) conducted at Caulfield in October.

"She's jumped out really good going into this and I feel she's come back stronger, but I'm still not sure where her distance lies," Stokes said.

"I know she's got good from 1200 to 1400 (metres), so we've just got to work out whether we go down a Sangster-Goodwood path, or aim at something else, but I couldn't be happier with how she is coming up."

The filly began in Adelaide, saluting first-up at Murray Bridge, before a second at Sandown in Melbourne and a victory in Caulfield's Quezette Stakes.

In that debut campaign, Ferivia took out the Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) from Sandown, besting Ole Dancer along with Salty Pearl.

"Before she even came over, she'd had a good preparation in Adelaide, but by the time she got to the Thousand Guineas she'd had enough," Stokes said.

"She still ran a creditable race, and the form has been franked.

I think she is exciting."

Post-Saturday, Stokes has several choices lined up for Ferivia.

With runners housed in Sydney ahead of the Carnival, she could head there for April 4's P J Bell Stakes (1200m) at Randwick, alternatively targeting the R N Irwin Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville the subsequent weekend.

"We'll keep everything open as we have horses up in Sydney, so it will be easy to send her up if we think that's the right way to go, otherwise we could go straight to Adelaide," Stokes said.

"We'll see how she goes on Saturday."

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