Last year’s inaugural Geelong Diamond proved a good launching pad for Stay Focused and Phillip Stokes has identified the race as the ideal kick-off for a filly he holds in hold regard.
The Pakenham horseman will unveil Cosmic Shower, a daughter of first-season sire Peltzer, in the $150,000 event over 1100 metres.
The $220,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast buy will become Stokes’ fourth individual juvenile starter for the season and he said he had been buoyed by the performances of the three he sent out last week.
“I see she’s favourite and I’m taking a bit of a line that I’ve had three two-year-old runners this season for two winners and a second,” Stokes said.
“She’s as good as all of them but this will be a harder race to win.”
Stokes last Saturday had Doubtland gelding Tom finished second to Blue Diamond Stakes fancy Field Of Play in the two-year-old at Moonee Valley.
The day before, Too Darn Hot filly Hot Whiskers won impressively at Mornington and on Boxing Day La Roux, a daughter of Zousain, strolled home by 2-1/4 lengths at Morphettville.
Cosmic Shower’s preparations for the debut include two 800m Pakenham jumpouts, the first a strong win on December 3 before a distant third placing in a jumpout won by La Roux two weeks later.
Stay Focused went on to finish second in a Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude before being the first colt home when fifth in the Group 1 Blue Diamond after his Geelong Diamond win and Stokes is using this year’s edition as a chance for Cosmic Shower demand a shot at that series.
“She’s been good in her jumpouts, she’s still a work-in-progress and we do like her,” Stokes said.
“She needs a run and this race has presented, and it’s a qualifier for the Blue Diamond, so we’ll have a crack.”
Cosmic Shower, who will be ridden by Daniel Stackhouse, is fighting out favouritism with the Ciaron Maher-trained Cherish Me in the Geelong Diamond, which has seven of the nine runners at single-figure quotes in some markets.
