Trainer Phillip Stokes has done well since establishing operations in Victoria, yet he relishes returning to Adelaide.
Operating from Morphettville, Stokes readily shuttles his charges between states, and as the Adelaide Carnival with its four Group 1 contests draws near, he aims to compete strongly this season after securing a Group 1 victory in each of the previous two years.
Stokes has set his sights on the Group 1 sprint pairing of the Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) on April 25 and The Goodwood (1200m) a fortnight afterwards using Ferivia, who resumes from a break in Saturday’s Group 3 Don Casboult Classic (1200m).
This marks Ferivia’s initial appearance since placing sixth in the Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield back in October.
“She’s jumped out really good going into this and I feel she’s come back stronger, but I’m still not sure where her distance lies,” Stokes said.
“I know she’s got good from 1200 to 1400 (metres), so we’ve just got to work out whether we go down a Sangster-Goodwood path, or aim at something else, but I couldn’t be happier with how she is coming up.”
Ferivia launched her racing career in Adelaide with a debut success at Murray Bridge, then travelled to Melbourne for a runner-up effort at Sandown prior to triumphing in the Quezette Stakes at Caulfield.
During that initial preparation, Ferivia captured the Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Sandown, overcoming Ole Dancer and Salty Pearl.
“Before she even came over, she’d had a good preparation in Adelaide, but by the time she got to the Thousand Guineas she’d had enough,” Stokes said.
“She still ran a creditable race, and the form has been franked.
I think she is exciting.”
Stokes noted potential paths for Ferivia after her Saturday comeback.
Given his horses stabled in Sydney for the Carnival, the filly might travel north for the P J Bell Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 4 or proceed to Adelaide for the R N Irwin Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville the next week.
“We’ll keep everything open as we have horses up in Sydney, so it will be easy to send her up if we think that’s the right way to go, otherwise we could go straight to Adelaide,” Stokes said.
“We’ll see how she goes on Saturday.”
Explore the Australian betting sites for top racing odds ahead of Ferivia’s run in the Don Casboult Classic.