It took trainer Dom Sutton just one year in his own right to achieve his first Group 1 victory when Feroce triumphed in the Australian Guineas in March 2025. Now, Sutton is aiming for similar success at Flemington this Saturday in the Group 2 Tesio Stakes, a race he views as a stepping stone towards a Melbourne Cup Carnival Group 1 tilt.
The former UK jumps jockey will field Classic Gem and After Summer in the mares’ race over 2040 metres. The latter runner has the Group 2 Queen Elizabeth Stakes back at Flemington on November 7 as a potential target.
After Summer finished eighth when resuming in the Group 2 Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Caulfield on September 27. However, with previous placings over 2000m and 2400m at Group 1 level in Sydney, the Tesio Stakes distance of 2040m is well within her capabilities.
“Her run was better over a mile (first-up) this time around than what is was over the same distance last prep but she is just an out-and-out stayer so those horses were just too sharp for her, especially at that level,” Sutton stated. “She held her ground to the line and through the line jockey Billy Egan said she really picked up the bridle so out to 2000, at Flemington, I still think it is on the short side for her but it will be best when we go to the Queen Elizabeth.
“It will be ideal if she can set herself up for that though she hasn’t changed much physically as she’s not an overly big mare, but she just comes into her own over the distances. She has a good heart and lungs.”
Classic Gem, meanwhile, broke her maiden two starts ago at Bendigo after ten attempts. She then ran home strongly last start at Caulfield over 1700m despite carrying 59 kilograms.
That weight was also assigned to her when she finished fourth in the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick in April.
“I haven’t been frustrated with her because I thought last prep we threw her in the deep end in three-year-old group races and she performed well. She ran fourth in the Oaks and we probably went one run too many at Flemington after that trying to knock her maiden over,” Sutton explained. “I thought she was excellent the other day over a mile over a trip too short.”
Punters can find competitive racing betting markets for the Tesio Stakes at leading Australian betting sites.