The reigning premier Adelaide stable of Phillip Stokes is taking its title defence seriously, as indicated by a treble on the Parks track at Morphettville last Saturday.
Stokes landed the first leg of a running double when six-year-old gelding Watadeel ($2.05 favourite) won the open handicap over 1550 metres.
With Jacob Opperman unable to make the weight, reigning premier jockey Rochelle Milnes brought the six-year-old Dundeel gelding from near last with a strong run in the straight to score by a length and three-quarters.
Watadeel is likely to have his next start on Saturday week in the listed Murray Bridge Gold Cup (1600m).
The disappointment of the race came from last year’s Victoria Derby winner, Goldrush Guru, who finished last. Stewards reported afterwards that the gelding was lame. 
Stokes won the next, a benchmark 76 over 2400 metres, with Lavish Thinker ($2.90). Nicish ($3.40 favourite) completed his treble in 0-64 company over 1250 metres.
While Opperman had to give up the Watadeel ride, he steered Stokes’s second and third winners to complete a productive day. 
Stokes now leads the city premiership with nine wins, one clear of Michael Hickmott.   
Doubles galore
Todd Pannell teamed up with Will Clarken for a back-to-back double at the Parks meeting, leading all the way on Thunder Shoc ($4.40) in a special-conditions 1000-metre handicap then coming from midfield on Komachi ($4.20) in 0-68 company over 1550 metres.
And while Andrew Gluyas didn’t get the run he wanted from Goldrush Guru, he went home with the consolation of a benchmark 64 double. Guru Warrior ($3.10 favourite) scored under Jason Holder over 1950 metres, while apprentice Taylor Johnstone steered Pearl Adios home over 1400 metres.   
Meanwhile, Richard and Chantelle could have a nice three-year- old in their care judging by the debut win of Virtual Illusion ($5.50) in a 1000-metre maiden plate at the Parks meeting.
A $20,000 buy at the 2024 Adelaide Magic Millions yearling sale, the Zousain gelding jumped from the outside gate in a 13-horse field under Jake Toeroek, who made it a double when he steered Ndola ($3) to a last-stride victory in the benchmark 80 over 1250 metres for the Hayes brothers. 
Tootell on top
Apprentice Caitlin Tootell won the first heat of the Simone Montgomerie and Caitlin Forrest Apprentice Series at Strathalbyn last Sunday, taking the 1350-metre 0-58 on Top Of The Ridge ($4.20) for the Murray Bridge stable of Sue and Jason Jaensch.
Ben Price and Jason Holder shared the riding honours with a double each.

Holder backed up with a popular running double at Balaklava on Wednesday, scoring on the Jon O’Connor-trained Urbanise ($2.70 favourite) in a 1300-metre maiden and on the Andrew Gluyas-trained Omaha Dawn ($3.50) in a 1200-metre Class 1.

Jewel of the north
The Jamestown Racing Club in the state’s Mid North takes the country spotlight this Saturday, with the cup contested over 1800 metres as heat one of the Mid North and Mallee Series.