Phillip Stokes and Neodium win back-to-back Birdsville Cups

Group 1-winning trainer Phillip Stokes went back-to-back in the iconic Birdsville Cup, but this victory was even sweeter than last year.

Justin Potter rides the Phillip Stokes-trained Neodium to a clear win in the Birdsville Cup on Saturday. Picture: Roxy Weston RLR Photograph

Group 1-winning trainer Phillip Stokes went back-to-back in the iconic Birdsville Cup, but this victory was even sweeter than last year.

Stokes’ dashing grey Neodium won the outback classic again and his trainer dad Ron completed a famous family quinella when Trumpsta lifted himself off the canvas to run second.

A day earlier, the father and son Stokes’s enjoyed a round of golf but on Saturday they landed racing’s equivalent of an eagle with the one-two finish in the Cup.

Trumpsta had also raced in last year’s Birdsville Cup but only managed to run seventh.

In the days before Saturday’s Cup, Phillip Stokes jetted into Birdsville on a charter flight to surprise his father and other family members after initially telling them he wasn’t going.

The Stokes’ are well-known in the region, with Phillip growing up on the Birdsville track and riding in the Cup more than three decades ago.

Neodium’s four-length win from the front was another special moment for owner David Brook who is a Birdsville icon and the president/chairperson of the Birdsville Race Club.

Neodium makes it back-to-back Birdsville Cup wins! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/61vS6jHBor

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 7, 2024

GOLD COAST TRACK GETS THUMBS UP

Jockeys didn’t really have a bad word to say about the Gold Coast course proper which staged its long awaited return to racing on Saturday.

Jockey Tiffani Brooker was the first to strike in the return to grass racing on the Gold Coast in what was a highly encouraging comeback for the trouble-plagued track.

When Brooker won on $17 chance Dawn Party, trained by James Healy, it was the first time the coast course proper track had been in action since March when significant sand kick back on the rich Jewel day caused the track to be sidelined.

Officials always said the track wouldn’t be 100 per cent for the return to racing on Saturday and there was significant improvement to come.

But early signs were promising, with a bigger test to come in a fortnight when the track hosts the metropolitan meeting, the Pink Ribbon race day.

Queensland Jockeys’ Association boss Glen Prentice, who was at the Gold Coast for the meeting, said feedback from the hoops was positive.

“I asked every jockey who rode what they thought of it and the feedback was really good,” Prentice said.

“No-one was faulting it.

“There was a little bit of kick back for horses back in the field, but not much to report.

“No-one was faulting the track and it is only going to improve.”

HAIL THE KING

Noel “King” Callow turned almost certain defeat into a miraculous victory as he turned back time with a masterful ride to get Safework ($19) home for a nailbiting Doomben win.

Callow was back at the rear of the field but had a lapful of horse as the Scott Morrissey-trained galloper was travelling sweetly.

But with a wall of horses in front of him and seemingly nowhere to go, Morrissey was cursing his luck.

Callow then steered back to the inside and found the narrowest of gaps and somehow got to the line first, just as Daytona and Ralphie were fighting out the finish.

SAFEWORK from last! 🤩

‘The King’ Noel Callow weaves his magic to get the @MorriseyRacing galloper home on the post!

Class win, class ride!@BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/lPPsueHtFS

— RaceQ (@RaceQLD) September 7, 2024

“If this horse can find bad luck, he will find it,” Morrisey said.

“I thought today was going to be another day like that.

“When he went up the inside, I thought why do these jockeys keep going there?

“But Noel found the gap, God love him.

“If he didn’t go back to the inside, he doesn’t win.”

Originally published as Phillip Stokes and Neodium win back-to-back Birdsville Cups