By David Nagel
Pakenham trainer Phillip Stokes will look to enjoy the unique experience of winning his home-town cup on Saturday when Good Idea jumps from barrier seven in the Listed $300,000 Sportsbet Pakenham Cup (2500m).
Stokes is the sole representative of the locally-based trainers, taking on names like Hayes, Maher/Eustace and Waller as he looks to become the first local trainer to hoist their home-town silverware since 2014.
Cameron Templeton was the last trainer to salute when Captain Fancypantz won the last edition of the race to be run at the Pakenham Racing Club’s former home-track on Racecourse Road.
Good Idea – an impeccably-bred seven-year-old gelding out of So You Think/Faint Perfume – hasn’t started since running third over 2800-metres at Flemington on November 2.
He has run placings at three of his four starts this campaign, with his only failure being when jockey Craig Newitt complained of a poor galloping action in the Group-2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m) on October 23.
Subsequent to his bounce-back run at Flemington, Stokes has trialled Good Idea at Moe, winning a 1600-metre trial on November 23 by two lengths.
Good Idea will need to be at his best in front of an expected crowd of 5,000 people on Saturday, with the Maher/Eustace-trained Smokin’ Romans currently a $3.50 favourite for the race.
Smokin Romans’ will provide star-jockey Jamie Kah with the ideal opportunity to bounce back into the spotlight as she returns from suspension after a breach of Covid-19 restrictions earlier in the year.
Maher/Eustace have two great chances in the race, with last-start winner Mankayan set to challenge Smokin’ Romans for favouritism. Trainer Matt Cumani has two good chances in the race – with Future Score and Team Captain – while the Hayes team has engaged in-form jockey Brett Prebble for the ride on bottom-weight Mimi’s Award.
A total of $1.35million in prizemoney will be up for grabs on the day – with the first race on the nine-race program set down for 12.35pm.
The gates will spring back for the $300,000 Listed Pakenham Cup at 4.20pm.
| $300,000 Listed Sportsbet Pakenham Cup (2500m) – Saturday 4.20pm | ||||||
| No. | Horse | Weight | Last 5 | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
| 1 | 1. Future Score (IRE) (10) | 58kg | 3-086 | M.S.S.Cumani | C.Williams | $23.00 |
| 2 | 2. In a Twinkling (2) | 58kg | 00-78 | L.Smith | C.Newitt | $17.00 |
| 3 | 3. Good Idea (7) | 57kg | 0-3303 | P.J.Stokes | D.M.Lane | $26.00 |
| 4 | 4. Mosh Music (12) | 55kg | 80787 | A.Alexander | M.J.Dee | $31.00 |
| 5 | 5. Skyman (GB) (11) | 55kg | 26226 | C.J.Waller | D.Thornton | $13.00 |
| 6 | 6. Mankayan (IRE) (6) | 54.5kg | 32221 | C.Maher & D.Eustace | J.McNeil | $4.80 |
| 7 | 7. Pappalino (FR) (1) | 54.5kg | -7577 | A.Alexander | J.Allen | $26.00 |
| 8 | 8. Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (9) | 54kg | 11122 | C.Maher & D.Eustace | J.Kah | $3.50 |
| 9 | 9. Flash Aah (13) | 54kg | 84707 | M.A.Kropp | D.Moor | $18.00 |
| 10 | 10. Team Captain (IRE) (4) | 54kg | 0-7111 | M.S.S.Cumani | B.McDougall | $4.20 |
| 11 | 11. Long Arm (IRE) (3) | 54kg | 0-086 | P.Gelagotis | B.Mertens | $27.00 |
| 12 | 12. Think We’re Due (8) | 54kg | 64425 | A.Noblet | Z.Spain | $67.00 |
| 13 | 13. Constantinople (IRE) (5) | 54kg | 96888 | A.J.Purcell | L.King | $126.00 |
| 14 | 14. Mimi’s Award (14) | 54kg | -9206 | B. & JD.Hayes | B.Prebble | $11.00 |
