Promising filly La Roux ready for stakes challenge after commanding Murray Bridge win

Phillip Stokes will target black-type races for exciting filly La Roux after her dominant win at Murray Bridge on Saturday.

Trainer Phillip Stokes had five winners across Murray Bridge, Flemington and Cranbourne on Saturday. Picture: Vince Caligiuri via Getty Images

Exciting filly La Roux is set test her mettle at stakes level after another impressive win at Murray Bridge on Saturday.

The speedy daughter of Zousain skipped away to an easy win on her Morphettville debut on Boxing Day, and repeated the dose on Saturday, chasing down Eagerly Awaits for a soft three-length win in a 2YO Plate over 1000m.

Favourite backers crunched the Phillip Stokes-trained filly into $1.14 with Sportsbet, with jockey Lachlan Neindorf content to sit off the race leader in second throughout.

“(It was) super to get that out of the way with the short quote, (there was a) bit of pressure there but she’s done well, she’s very professional, does everything well and she’s taken the ownership group on a good journey so far,” stable representative Kerrin Stokes said.

“Lachie was happy to let that horse lead if it wanted to and just keep her in a nice rhythm, maybe it will add another string to her bow actually having to follow a horse into the race – it was good.”

La Roux wins with ease at prohibitive odds at Murray Bridge 👌 pic.twitter.com/0Dk9HGtr8Y

— Racing.com (@Racing) January 11, 2025

The stable has a black-type challenge on the filly’s radar, with assignments in Adelaide and Melbourne under consideration.

La Roux was a $60,000 purchase at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in 2024.

“If she pulls up well, we could look at a Cinderella (Stakes) in six weeks’ time, she can have a little break before that, or we can look at a Blue Diamond Prelude and roll the dice – we’ll see,” he said.

It was a brilliant 90 minute period for the Stokes yard, who saluted with Taramansour at Flemington shortly after, before Neindorf steered Harry Angel gelding Noetzie to a maiden victory in the third race at Murray Bridge.

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The day got even better for Neindorf and Stokes, the combination bringing up a treble in the last race, with The Mansman hunting down Texan Windstorm to win a Benchmark 66 (1400m).

A win with Magna Mak at Cranbourne handed the Stokes stable their fifth winner of the day.

Neindorf’s treble takes him to equal first atop the Adelaide jockeys’ premiership, he is now tied with Rochelle Milnes on 22 wins. Milnes also rode a winner on the card, steering Yasuke to victory for Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea.

"This guy is an absolute marvel!" 🗣️

Frances Boy, the old boy, winds back the clock at start #136 for his nineteenth victory 👏 pic.twitter.com/2LASmgfsuL

— Racing.com (@Racing) January 11, 2025

Old marvel France’s Boy continues to defy his age for trainers John Hickmott and Carrina Riggs, the 11-year-old gelding produced an upset win in a Benchmark 72 over 1600m, his 19th victory at his 136th start.

The veteran, who has now won over $750k in prizemoney, surged to the lead under apprentice hoop Zoe Lloyd and kicked on the home turn, holding on for a one-length win over Angelic Appeal.

“He’s a freak, he’s a beautiful horse,” Hickmott said.

“At the 300m I thought ‘ah, there’s still a fair way to go’ but then he kicked and it was all over.”

Hickmott and Riggs snared a training double on Saturday’s nine-race card, the pair also saluted with another veteran, nine-year-old Magnetic Edge, while Clarken and O’Shea also scored themselves a brace, with Prairie Flower winning impressively early on in the program.

Originally published as Promising filly La Roux ready for stakes challenge after commanding Murray Bridge win