Phillip Stokes decides late to test promising three-year-old Stolen Kiss at Flemington
A small field convinced Pakenham trainer Phillip Stokes to make a late decision to have a crack at a race at Flemington with new three-year-old Stolen Kiss.
Horse Racing
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Trainer Phillip Stokes was happy to oblige when opportunity knocked for a Flemington win on Saturday.
Stokes will run three-year-old filly Stolen Kiss in the TAB We’re On (1410m) after changing his plan for the final run of her winter campaign.
He said the lack of city-winning form in the race convinced him to have a crack at the $150,000 contest.
• Early Oil: Race-by-race preview for Flemington on Saturday
None of Stolen Kiss’s nine rivals have won a metropolitan race while Stokes noted the $3.20 favourite Detroit City was coming off a maiden win at Wodonga last month.
“I was going to run her at Sandown next Wednesday but it came up pretty light that race,” Stokes said.
Stolen Kiss will drop back from stakes class for her Flemington assignment after fading in heavy ground to finish seven lengths from Colmar in the Group 3 SA Sires’ Produce in Adelaide on July 20.
Stokes said he was happy with Stolen Kiss’s performance in tough circumstances.
“She peaked late but she ran well,” he said.
“The leader had them chasing and she didn’t have any cover so she did a good job.
“She was three-wide with no cover so, if she can handle a two-week back-up, she’s an each-way chance on Saturday.”
• Attrition ‘ticking all the boxes’ for spring return
While Stolen Kiss has shown promise in her three two-year-old runs, Stokes said the daughter of Cox Plate and Australian Guineas winner Shamus Award would improve next year.
“I think she’ll get a bit further but I think she’ll be a lot better in the autumn,” Stokes said.
“She’s a narrow little thing but has plenty of improvement in her.”
Stolen Kiss has eased from $7.50 to $8.50 in the first 24 hours’ betting on Saturday’s Flemington opener
Originally published as Phillip Stokes decides late to test promising three-year-old Stolen Kiss at Flemington
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