Deakin secures start in Melbourne Cup after winning Roy Higgins at Flemington

Trainer Phillip Stokes can start plotting a path towards the Melbourne Cup with Deakin after the promising stayer’s fighting win in the Roy Higgins at Flemington.

Deakin holds out Berkshire Breeze in the Roy Higgins at Flemington. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Emerging stayer Deakin secured a golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup with victory in the Listed Roy Higgins (2600m) at Flemington.

Deakin cruised up ominously inside the last 300m but had company in Berkshire Breeze.

The pair went stride for stride until Deakin got the upper hand over the concluding stages.

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Mostly Cloudy, who battled Smokin’ Romans and Newfoundland in an early speed duel, stuck on boldly to run third in the Roy Higgins for the second consecutive year.

Deakin, trained by Phillip Stokes, has won three of his past four starts including back-to-back Listed races.

“It’s a very important win, just to see the progression the horse has made from when he came to us,” Stokes said.

“He’s been in work a long time now, we skipped the Adelaide Cup to come here, it was a big call and he’s been four or five weeks between runs now.

“He’s got very good staying ability and Stacky (Daniel Stackhouse) rode him beautifully.

“He’s probably come to the end of if it now, he’ll look very good in my paddock in front of the house in the morning.

“He’s got a start in the Melbourne Cup, that’s great, and we’ll just have to plot a path towards it.”

Deakin fights it out and holds tough to book a spot in this year's Melbourne Cup. 🏆@[e-mail]/MBP0jxltK7

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Deakin completed a Stokes-Stackhouse double at Flemington on Saturday after Athanatos saluted earlier on the card.

Stackhouse was thrilled to do his part.

“He’s such a cool horse, this (Deakin),” Stackhouse said.

“The pace wasn’t very quick from get-go and he just got a little bit keen being a bit fresh between runs, it’s been over a month now.

“He just wanted to get the job over and done with a little bit, he didn’t really settle that well but it was nice with (Mostly) Cloudy put some speed into the race and he actually relaxed really nicely.

“He had to dig deep for it and he showed a good turn of foot and he can stay.”

Originally published as Deakin secures start in Melbourne Cup after winning Roy Higgins at Flemington