A maiden Flemington appearance was not part of Stern Idol’s schedule until his jumps rivals ran scared, but the back-up plan could include a shot at an emotional win for connections.
The champion steeplechaser is among 21 entries for this Saturday’s $150,000 Deane Lester Flemington Cup.
The 2800-metre race is named after the late form analyst and media man who was also racing advisor to Stern Idol’s managing owner Gerry Ryan.
Stern Idol was to run in the Mosstrooper Steeplechase on Sunday, but that race was deleted after he was the only acceptor, and Ciaron Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said the back-up plan was run at Flemington or a jumps trial at Coleraine two days later.
Turnbull is in regular contact with Maher, who is in the UK, and Ryan and both are open to using the Deane Lester Flemington Cup as a final lead-up to the Crisp Steeplechase (4200m) at Sandown on August 2, which is likely to be Stern Idol’s final start.
“I had a chat with Ciaron over in London and it’s something that we are considering,” Turnbull said of the prospect of a Flemington appearance.
“I’ve spoken to Gerry and he’s happy to do so.”
“He needs a hitout. Whether or not that’s Flemington or at the trials, he’ll receive that.”
A winner of 18 of 42 starts, Stern Idol has raced 29 times in Australia with only six of those runs in the Southern Hemisphere having been on the flat.
His first Aussie start was in a 2400m BM64 at Swan Hill’s June carnival in 2022, in which he finished eighth, the same place he finished in the 2024 Listed Sandown Cup, while the other four flat runs have been in the 3000m BM70 run at Sandown each March.
After winning that race in 2023, Stern Idol finished second the following year, third in 2025 and fourth this year.
He scored wins at Terang and Warrnambool, in the Brierly Steeplechase (3450m), before a last-start third placing in the Australian Steeplechase (3900m).
Turnbull said the team was disappointed the nine-year-old didn’t get the chance to bounce back in the Mosstrooper, but he is confident it won’t affect his Crisp Steeplechase chances.
“He doesn’t need to jump, he doesn’t need the practice,” he said.
“It’s more about just having him go into the race as well as we can have him.”
“I don’t think the actual lack of the race will affect his prep, because he is fit.”
Stern Idol is accompanied by stablemate Smokin’ Romans among the Deane Lester Flemington Cup nominations, but Turnbull said the veteran Group 1 winner would most likely run in the 2000m BM100 on the same card.
