By David Nagel
Pakenham trainer Phillip Stokes has a very promising stayer on his hands after Irish-import Aesop toyed with his opposition in the $130,000 BenchMark-78 Handicap (1800m) at Sandown on Sunday.
On a day that saw Alligator Blood steal the limelight with a brilliant win in the Group-1 Underwood Stakes, the electrifying turn-of-foot of Aesop was also a talking point.
Gun-jockey Jamie Kah settled the six-year-old gelding midfield throughout the race, before pushing the button at the 400-metre mark and cruising into the contest.
Aesop responded with a devastating turn of foot, similar to that he showed when running second at Sandown on a slow track on September 7.
Stokes was confident heading into the race, but conceded the improved good-4 rating of the track could bring his gelding undone.
But Aesop relished the perfect surface, running away to win hard held by two lengths on the line.
“It was a lovely ride by Jamie, she got into a nice rhythm and he showed that nice turn of foot that he showed first up and the firm track wasn’t a problem,” Stokes said after the exciting win.
The stable has Aesop accepted for this Saturday’s The Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) at Randwick, but may be forced to look elsewhere considering the short seven-day back up.
“That’s next Saturday so I’d say that will come up a bit quick, but I’ll speak with Terry (owner Terry Henderson) and the team to confirm.
“But I’m just very happy to see this horse back like this, we were in a bit of trouble last prep, getting beaten at Sale, and now here he is here doing this type of thing.
“I’m thinking we keep him around the 2000, keep him fresh, and hopefully keep that turn of foot in him.”
Kah said the firmer ground had no effect on the gelding’s performance.
“He (Stokes) said if we do get beat today it’ll be because he didn’t handle the ground, but he loved it, he actually felt better in it than he did the other week when it was soft out there,” Kah said.
“This horse handles all conditions, he’s just a dream to ride, doesn’t spend a penny out there, he just relaxes, but the turn of foot today was enormous.
“He picked them up in a few strides and it was just too easy for him, he definitely going to feature in something big this spring, he’s got the perfect attitude.
“He jumped well today and got me outside the leader, he’s pushbutton, he’s just a beautiful ride and well done to Phil and the team, they’ve got a nice horse on their hands.”
The Peter Moody-trained Pounding finished two lengths behind Aesop, with a further two lengths back to the remainder of the field.
