In a brilliant training effort by Phillip Stokes, last year’s runner-up Good Idea returned an improved horse to go one better and score a commanding victory at big odds in Mondays’ 2021 Adelaide Cup results.

A well-bred son of So You Think out of former VRC Oaks winning mare Faint Perfume, Good Idea broke a notable drought celebrating his first win since February last year.

“I can’t believe it, a super training effort,” Stokes’ son Tommy told the media post-win from Morphettville.

Good Idea was runner-up to King Of Leogrance over the two-miles last autumn in the Adelaide Cup and presented a fit chance at $18 12 months on to win the event fourth-up.

“He arrived at our stables on Friday in terrific order,” Stokes added.

“He’s a tough horse this one.

“I’m just over the moon for the owners involved as well.”

Jockey Ben Thompson jumped aboard the eventual Adelaide Cup winner from the inside alley on Monday and got the stayer settled beautifully fourth in the run.

It was the Tasmanian visitor White Hawk leading them around until mid-race when Starcaster, not happy to be three-deep in the run, worked around them to be taken to the lead by Jamie Kah.

Starcaster was still in the lead at the turn in front of Good Idea who Thompson had primed and ready to strike.

The Shane Oxlade-trained Americain mare Eperdument was also working her way into the finish at the top of the straight on the back of her lead-up third to Tralee Rose in the Group 3 Lord Reims Stakes (2600m) last start.

Brilliant Lord Reims winner Tralee Rose jumped sort favourite in the Adelaide Cup and got a lovely trail in the Group 2 settled midfield with room, given every chance.

Good Idea however took at the 300m, dashing to the lead and went on to win the classic running away with three lengths to spare over the eye-catching runner-up Eperdument who ran out of her skin for second at an 80/1 start price.

In third rounding out the Adelaide Cup trifecta was Long Arm who cam from last to finish in the money just ahead of the disappointing beaten favourite Tralee Run in fourth.

“It’s fantastic,” Stokes said.

“Dad’s trained him to a tee. He was very confident going into today.”

2021 Adelaide Cup Results

	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	10	GOOD IDEA	Phillip Stokes	Ben Thompson		1	53kg		$17
	2	9	EPERDUMENT	Shane Oxlade	Ms Kayla Crowther	3.5L	2	53kg		$81
	3	6	LONG ARM (IRE)	Peter Gelagotis	Kerrin McEvoy	3.7L	14	53.5kg		$6.50
	4	4	TRALEE ROSE (NZ)	Symon Wilde	Jason Holder	4.7L	4	55.5kg		$1.85F
	5	5	BARADE (FR)	Archie Alexander	Ms Jessica Eaton (a)	4.9L	5	54kg		$26
	6	2	MOSH MUSIC	Archie Alexander	Mark Zahra	6.1L	12	58kg	1.0kg	$17
	7	7	STARCASTER (GB)	Anthony & Sam Freedman	Ms Jamie Kah	6.3L	3	53.5kg		$9
	8	8	STARS OF CARRUM	Peter G Moody	Jason Benbow	7.9L	9	53.5kg		$21
	9	15	VIVIDREDSKY (NZ)	Paul Preusker	Dean Holland	11L	13	53kg		$101
	10	11	WHITE HAWK	Angela Brakey	Stan Tsaikos	21.7L	8	53kg		$101
	11	13	DARVIN (IRE)	Matthew Williams	Dean Yendall	24L	6	53kg		$11
	12	14	RIPCORD (NZ)	Paul Preusker	Declan Bates	31.4L	10	53kg		$101
	13	12	CLASSIC WEIWEI	Tony & Calvin McEvoy	Barend Vorster	46.9L	7	53kg		$41
	14	17	TABLE OF WISDOM	Dennis O’Leary	Ms Anna Jordsjo	57.9L	11	53kg		$201
	SB	3	SIN TO WIN (NZ)	Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes	Daniel Stackhouse		0	55.5kg
		1	DOUBLE YOU TEE	Patrick Payne	Todd Pannell		0
		16	OURKHANI	Richard & Chantelle Jolly	Jeffrey Maund		0

Table Credit: Racing Australia.