While Deakin’s early prep results might read a little plain, trainer Phillip Stokes is satisfied the stayer is building perfectly toward his spring assignments.

The next checkpoint arrives in Saturday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington, a key step on his path toward the Caulfield Cup–Melbourne Cup double.

Stokes has tweaked the program to sharpen him up, even slipping in a mid-campaign jump-out to lift fitness.

A ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup was secured back in March via victory in The Roy Higgins (2600m), easing the pressure to qualify during spring.

The original blueprint was to resume in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 30 before the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) two weeks later, but instead Deakin competed in lower-grade races over 1400m at Caulfield and 1700m at Flemington on those days.

Since that latest Flemington run, he has also claimed a 1200m jump-out at Pakenham to keep him right on the boil.

“I felt he was doing too well so I had to screw him down a bit more,” Stokes said of the Pakenham jump-out.

“He trialled up nice and he’s thriving, but this is where we get serious now, these next two runs.”

The lift to 2000m should prove suitable on Saturday, and while Stokes respects the depth of opposition, he likes how Deakin is trending into the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18 and the Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 4.

“On his data from his first-up run to his second-up run he improved six lengths and to be competitive in the Caulfield Cup he needs to find another five lengths which I think we can do,” Stokes said.

“He’ll run well in the Caulfield Cup and then we’ll see if he can stay the two miles in the Melbourne Cup, but I couldn’t be happier.

“He’s dropping the bit now, he’s relaxing probably better than last prep in his gallops so I’m quietly confident he’ll be OK and stay the trip.”

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