Queensland raider Party For Two targets ‘thin’ Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes as trainers follow tried and tested method

Steve O’Dea and Matt Hoysted have enjoyed significant success in Victoria over the years and believe the Monash Stakes on Saturday in winnable.

Party For Two heads back to Victoria to tackle the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes on Saturday. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Queenslanders Steve O’Dea and Matt Hoysted are launching a tried and tested method in Victoria as they look land another stakes-level success away from their home state at Caulfield on Saturday.

The training duo have won six times in 17 starts at stakes level in Victoria and reckon they have found another winnable race to improve that record with speed machine Party For Two in the Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) on Saturday.

The trainers have made a deliberate plan to attack the quiet times of the year south of the border, with Hoysted saying they have landed on the right race on Saturday so long as the Caulfield track doesn’t deteriorate worse than its current Soft 7 rating.

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Uncommon James broke through to win the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate in 2023, while stable stalwart Scallopini enjoyed a winning run in Victoria as well as Shooting For Gold.

“The main thought process behind it all, with her being placed multiple times at stakes level without the illusive win, we saw an opportunity,” Hoysted, who will train in his own right at the start of the new season next month, said.

“There is the summer carnival here but it can be quite condensed because there are only a few options, so they come strong.

“So this is similar to what we have done in previous years in identifying races really early in the spring, these stakes races can come up a bit thin.

“We have race fitness on our side because she has been campaigning through our winter up here, which has been a lot kinder than down there.

“We think we have a bit of an advantage, so we thought we’d have a crack.”

Party For Two (left) running second in the Blue Diamond Prelude last year. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Party For Two was a surprise packed in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude last year when she ran second to Exploring, before only managing to run 11th in the Group 1 Blue Diamond a fortnight later.

The filly was then transferred from trainer Damien Batters to the O’Dea-Hoysted yard, where she was able to win the $500,000 QTIS Jewel earlier this year.

Party For Two returned arguably her best run since that day in running third in the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic at Ipswich last month, where she was able to run the 1200m trip out after being softened up.

“She won the Jewel over 1200m and barriers have played a bit part in her racing, she got run over late in the Gai Waterhouse the other day but she had to do a power of work to get to where she was and still gave a good kick,” Hoysted said.

“Getting to this grade now, the tempo of the 1100m and 1200m gives her the opportunity to control the race a bit more, at the 1000m it is a bit short.”

Party For Two is likely to return home to Queensland after Saturday, no matter the result.

Originally published as Queensland raider Party For Two targets ‘thin’ Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes as trainers follow tried and tested method