3 minute read

Improving four-year-old Deep Pockets will be tested against tougher opposition following his victory in the $75,000 Open Benchmark 74 Stakes on Friday night.

Coming from a rearwards position, Deep Pockets, ridden by Danny Beasley, charged down the outside to score a half-length victory over Great Light (Stephen Baster) with Tom (Koh Teck Huat) a head away third.

Trainer Cliff Brown said Deep Pockets would now head towards the $500,000 Group 1 Patron's Bowl over 1600m on June 24.

And following the Patron's Bowl Deep Pockets would be aimed at the $1.15 million Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby over 2000m on July 15.

Brown won the Derby last year with Clint.

Deep Pockets has now won his last two starts – including an Open Benchmark 61 Stakes over 1800m on May 6 – and is proving himself a handy stayer.

Although Deep Pockets was having his 20th start on Friday night, Brown said Deep Pockets had taken time to mature.

“I think he's finally matured and it's starting to come out in his races,” said Brown.

“He had a break after his win over 1800m and has really thrived.

“We'll head towards the Patron's Bowl with him now and then look at the Derby with him as well.”

Beasley said there had been a remarkable transformation in Deep Pockets in recent weeks.

“He has improved a lot,” said Beasley.

“He was just an average Class 4 horse before, but I said to Cliff after his work the other day that if the Derby was next week then he'd be my Derby horse.

“There's still a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and the Derby but this horse has really impressed me.”

A New Zealand-bred by Lucky Owners from the El Moxie mare Molly Singer, Deep Pockets landed his fifth win with a further three second placings and took his prizemoney past the $200,000 mark for Auric Stable with the win.