Trainer Phillip Stokes claimed his second Group 3 at Caulfield in a month when Hucklebuck won the Gothic Stakes (1400m) on Saturday.

Hucklebuck (3g Elvstroem – Kondari by O’Reilly) controlled the race sitting outside the leader before sprinting clear in the straight.  “He was unlucky at Moonee Valley last month so we decided to be positive this time,” Stokes said.  “His mother Kondari had a lot of ability and I liked him as a type.”

Stokes paid $50,000 for the son of Blue Gum Farm sire Elvstroem at the 2012 Adelaide Magic Millions.  Kondari is a half-sister to the dam of G3 SA Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Stirling Grove (Mossman).

Hucklebuck had won his first two starts at Gawler and Morphettville but never saw daylight when third to progressive colt Lion Of Belfort at Moonee Valley.

Stokes trains the Gothic Stakes winner and last month’s G3 Guineas Prelude winner Eclair Big Bang for Macau owner Thomas Li.  “I think Hucklebuck can go further than Eclair Big Bang,” Stokes predicted.  “We will likely run him on the Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in a fortnight.

Elvstroem (Danehill) has now sired 10 stakes winner since Carrara opened his black-type account in the 2009 Doomben Slipper.  He is a brother to NZ based sire Gold Centre (Danehill) and a half-brother to Coolmore stallion Haradasun (Fusaichi Pegasus).

Elvstroem stands for a $4,400 (inc gst) fee at Blue Gum Farm alongside Canford Cliffs (Tagula), Turffontein (Johannesburg) and Red Arrow (Red Ransom).