Deakin gears up for Caulfield Cup start
Deakin is poised to launch his Caulfield Cup campaign with his initial outing at Caulfield this Saturday.
With the Melbourne Cup now out of contention for the French-bred stayer, trainer Phillip and Tommy Stokes are singularly focused on Deakin's preparation.
The Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) on Saturday marks the beginning, leading into the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on September 19, and subsequently the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 3.
The Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 17 is the intended spring target for Deakin, who finished eighth in the same race last year.
However, following last year's Caulfield Cup, Phillip Stokes had plans for an assault on the Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington, but the gelding was deemed ineligible under Racing Victoria's veterinary protocols.
Determined to avoid a similar situation, the Caulfield Cup is now the exclusive objective.
Deakin has only raced once since last year's Caulfield Cup, coming home fifth in the Bart Cummings (1600m) at Morphettville in May.
This was part of a calculated strategy, involving a lighter autumn campaign to ensure the gelding is in prime form for spring. The Stokes father-son training partnership was pleased with the gelding's most recent trial, finishing third at Caulfield Heath on August 19.
"He had his second trial at Caulfield last week," Phillip Stokes commented.
"He hasn't raced since the Bart Cummings Stakes in Adelaide, and we pulled up after that, so it's nearly been a year off, but I'm feeling he's going as well as ever.
"Last prep, first-up 1400 metres, so the 1700 suits this time first-up, but I think he will need the run just to bring him on for his second-up assignment, but I couldn't have been any happier with his trial."
Last year's preparation commenced over 1400m, progressed to 1700m, and then saw him deliver a striking performance in the Turnbull Stakes third-up.
"We're doing a similar campaign again to the Caulfield Cup," Stokes added.
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