Boom three-year-old Hucklebuck is vulnerable in the Fred Best Classic

ADELAIDE trainer Phillip Stokes says boom three-year-old Hucklebuck is vulnerable in Saturday’s Group 3 Fred Best Classic at Doomben.

ADELAIDE trainer Phillip Stokes says boom three-year-old Hucklebuck has bigger fish to fry and is vulnerable in Saturday’s Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1350m) at Doomben.

Hucklebuck has come north with huge wraps — the winner of five from eight started as $3.80 favourite in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington at his last start on March 1.

He finished eighth in the Guineas, beaten 2.6 lengths, but was subsequently found to have a throat infection.

Stokes has decided to keep the son of Elvstroem to sprinting distances this preparation and Saturday’s Fred Best Classic is his stepping stone towards bigger races.

Depending on how he performs first-up, Hucklebuck could go towards the Group 2 $350,000 Queensland Guineas (1400m) at Eagle Farm on May 31.

That would potentially mean he would have to back up in the Stradbroke Handicap a week later but Stokes said a start in Queensland’s richest race was by no means confirmed.

Trainer Phillip Stokes.

Stokes has a big opinion of Hucklebuck, who arrived in Queensland late last week, but says no-one should be shocked if he doesn’t win on Saturday.

TattsBet has Hucklebuck as the clear $3 favourite with Dothraki ($5.50) and Enquare ($9) the only others in single-figures.

"He goes very well first-up and the 1350m should be ideal," Stokes said.

"But I think he is vulnerable as he has to go around the other way and get used to a new style of racing in Queensland.

"He will certainly take huge improvement from whatever he does first-up."

Adelaide jockey Dom Tourneur will travel north for the ride and has a good association with the gelding, having ridden him in all but his first race start.

Hucklebuck worked impressively at trackwork at Doomben during the week and Stokes says he has now settled in well despite it taking a few days to get over the long trip north.

Hucklebuck has been ridden closer to the speed in his most recent runs but there is no riding plan set in stone on Saturday.

"He is adaptable and everything will be dictated by how much speed there is in the race," Stokes said.

"I have decided to keep him to the sprint distances and I think that’s best for him.

On a good day, with a good barrier he could run out a mile and his Australian Guineas run was certainly inconclusive."

Hucklebuck was purchased for $50,000, what now seems like a steal, at the 2012 Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling sale.

Stokes liked him from the start, having also trained his mother Kondari.

"His mum was an O’Reilly mare who won a race at Cheltenham (Adelaide). She had a lot of ability but she broke down badly early," Stokes says.

Originally published as Boom three-year-old Hucklebuck is vulnerable in the Fred Best Classic