Shares, Going, Gone

HOPE EDEN RACING ANTICIPATE GELDING BY SMART MISSILE

Shares in this two-year-old gelding are now available for sale. The juvenile has been educated by Shane Coombs and Hope Eden Racing have nominated to send the bay into the stable of Phillip Stokes at Pakenham.

Selected out of the Adelaide Magic Millions sale by trusted horseman and family friend, Paul Beshara this juvenile son of Smart Missile is developing nicely into his frame.  The sire, Smart Missile (by Fastnet Rock) has 23-stakes winners, from 632 runners to his credit with statistics revealing 433 winners, as of August 31st, 2022, along with overall earnings of more than $60million.  The horses stock perform very well in Hong Kong where Smart Missile finished third on that countries Sires’ Premiership for the 2021/22 season with 11-winners of 21 races.

Among the stakes winners is the Group 1 winner Maid of Heaven (ATC Spring Champion Stakes – 2000 m.), two Group 2 winners I’ll Have a Bit (SAJC Euclase Stakes – 1200 m.) and Smart Melody (MRC Tranquil Star – 1400 m.) plus five Group 3 winners.

Not Enough?  Smart Missile hails from the same family as Northern Meteor (by Encosta de Lago) & Queen of the Hill (by Danehill) being out of an unraced half-sister to the VRC Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner, Comical Smile.  The maternal grandsire Comic Strip was a Grade 3 winner that won 10-races in America.

Leamington is by the dual Grade One winner, Pleasant Tap (USA), as well as a winner of four races two of those wins were in England with as many victories in America that included the Voodoo Dancer Stakes.   Offered for sale in 2014 at the William Inglis Australian Broodmare sale, knocked down to Milburn Creek Stud for $250,000, Leamington is now dam of four winners.

Phillip spent his early years with his parents on a cattle station knocking about with his brothers before discovering his passion for horses. His father had always had a close affinity with horses,’ and it was not long before Phillip was in there helping his father break-in and educate the stations young horses.

At the age of fifteen, a riding career beckoned, and soon found himself apprenticed to John Hall at Morphettville, later completing his time at Alice Springs with Viv Oldfield riding winners.  Then nature took over with Phillip’s weight increasing it made it difficult for him to continue riding so he made the decision to pack his bags and head abroad to broaden his knowledge.

Phillip visited the world's leading thoroughbred training capitals including America with Bill Mott, France with John Hammond and a decade in Japan at Taiki Farm which has produced top quality gallopers.

Whilst working in Japan, Phillip met his wife Ayumi who has been pivotal to the stables success as she continues to support Phillip’s endeavours, as well as encouraging their two boys, Tom, and Kerrin to be very much a part of the Stokes Racing team.

Phillip’s local and international knowledge has become invaluable in the way he approaches his training methods, believing in having a direct approach when it comes to his thoroughbreds.

Phillip has a special ability to get those thoroughbreds ready for the moment and is an advocate of regular beach work, a chiropractor visits regularly ensuring the team is healthy and happy. Combined with personalised dietary and physical attention to each thoroughbred, its proven to be the right pathway to on track success.

In 2019 Phillip opened his stables at Pakenham, on course, giving him the advantage of two stables along with in his home state, South Australia and Victoria.

Black type success has followed with three Group 1 victories, from the Adelaide base in Marju Snip and Maybe Discreet both in the Australasian Oaks, more recently the million dollar performer Hucklebuck winning the Emirates Stakes on the final day of the Flemington Spring Carnival in 2014.   The stable saddled-up three winners from as many runners on the final day, at Flemington, finishing off with four winners for the carnival and equal top trainer.

Phillip’s first Group 1 winner from his Victorian base was Mr. Quickie, the 2019 Queensland Derby the gelded son of Shamus Award has trained on to collect the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600 m.) for his connections in 2020.

Phillip has won the South Australian Leading Trainer title on four occasions from 2012/13 through until 2016/17.  Phillip has a committed team of staff dedicated to providing the best results for their clients.