Deakin’s early-spring form may not leap off the page, but trainer Phillip Stokes is satisfied the seasoned stayer is right on track for his main targets.
The next checkpoint comes in Saturday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington, a key stepping stone as the gelding builds towards a Caulfield–Melbourne Cup campaign.
Stokes has tweaked the program to sharpen fitness, even slotting in a mid-prep jump-out to top him off.
Back in March, Deakin secured a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption with victory in The Roy Higgins (2600m) at Flemington, easing any scramble for a spring berth.
The original plan had been to resume in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 30 and then contest the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) two weeks later, but instead he ran in lower-grade races over 1400m at Caulfield and 1700m at Flemington on those respective dates.
Since that Flemington run, Deakin has also won a 1200m Pakenham jump-out to keep him ticking over.
“I felt he was doing too well so I had to screw him down a bit more,” Stokes said of the Pakenham jump-out.
“He trialled up nice and he’s thriving, but this is where we get serious now, these next two runs.”
The rise to 2000m should suit on Saturday, and while Stokes respects the opposition, he’s upbeat about how Deakin is progressing into the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18 and the Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 4.
“On his data from his first-up run to his second-up run he improved six lengths and to be competitive in the Caulfield Cup he needs to find another five lengths which I think we can do,” Stokes said.
“He’ll run well in the Caulfield Cup and then we’ll see if he can stay the two miles in the Melbourne Cup, but I couldn’t be happier.
“He’s dropping the bit now, he’s relaxing probably better than last prep in his gallops so I’m quietly confident he’ll be OK and stay the trip.”
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