Kosaji fights to win
Hill Smith Stakes
Kosaji had to fend off a stirring challenge down the Morphettville straight to win the Sportsbet Hill Smith Stakes (1800m) on Saturday.
The emerging colt fought off a run from Churchill Rose to win the Listed event, giving the father-son training duo of Phillip Stokes and Tommy Stokes their first win in the Morphettville feature.
With a magnificent ride from jockey Noel Callow, the three-year-old raced clear with just under 400m to go and the son of Japanese sire Maurice looked the winner before Churchill Rose went stride-for-stride, but the Stokes colt held on for a narrow win.
The win from Kosaji denied trainer Andrew Gluyas a fourth straight Hill Smith Stakes success.
Kosaji’s assistant trainer Kerrin Stokes described the victory as a “messy” race.
“I thought we were in trouble, he was getting very keen for a few stages there but I think class over this trip has got him over the line,” Stokes said.
“You probably can’t be doing that over staying trips.
“We’ll let the dust settle – he is nominated for the Victoria Derby – following in the footsteps of Goldrush Guru.”
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Goldrush Guru won the 2024 Hill Smith Stakes before winning the VRC Derby (2500m) 14 days later.
Callow continued to record a winning double on Saturday, leading home Mt Niseko to win the Access Hardware Handicap (1050m) for trainer Chris Bieg.
Jockey Rochelle Milnes secured the riding honours with a treble across Saturday’s nine-race card and also recorded win number 300 when Suit Of Wands won the Assa Abloy Handicap (2541m) for the training partnership of Will Clarken and Charlotte Sorby.
Milnes was aboard Percidian earlier in the day to win the M&J Chickens Handicap (1800m) to victory before the wire-to-wire win on Suit Of Wands, then made it win 301 soon after when Anotherhouse won in a photo finish in the Sportsbet Fast Form Handicap (1200m).
Jockey Jake Toeroek also scored a winning double on Saturday, leading Sensational Secret home in the Kirin Ichiban Handicap (1200m) and Florey in the Adelaide Galvanising Industries Handicap (1600m).
At Caulfield in Melbourne, Pretty Baby finished ninth in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m), but the training duo of Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle had success at Morphettville, with Czech Out taking out the first event on the card, the Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap (1100m) with jockey Taylor Johnstone on board.
