John Sargent, a master of the classics, will use Tuesday’s meeting at Newcastle to put his pair of So You Think horses, Perfect Thought and So Dazzling, into two of the most important Group 1 events of the spring.
Sargent has a place in history as the last trainer to beat Winx thanks to Gust Of Wind’s victory in the ATC Australian Oaks. Sir Owen Glenn’s mare suffered what was a rare defeat for Chris Waller’s immortal, and eventually it was the horse’s final loss.
Now, the High Street master has his sights set on winning a fourth Wakeful Stakes in 2022 with the horse So Dazzling. So Dazzling will compete in the ten-furlong Group 2 race at Flemington “one for one.”
The daughter of So You Think, who won the Cox Plate twice, made her debut on August 31 in a midweek race at Warwick Farm and clocked in an impressive fifth place. Her odds of winning the race were 100/1.
So Dazzling reappeared 18 days later at Flemington, when she won her maiden race over 1800 metres with Damien Oliver in the saddle. This time, she was given odds of $4.
Sargent shared her insight, saying, “She is a really laid-back horse at the stables.” “She is a very humble horse, but she has the X-factor there and is a very excellent staying filly,” the trainer said. “She is a very nice staying filly.”
She is already entered for the Oaks race, so it is not necessary for her to win on Tuesday; but, she should still perform well in the race.
During the period of 2013–2017, Sargent was victorious in the Wakeful Stakes on three separate occasions with the horses Kirramosa, Thunder Lady, and Luvaluva.
“She doesn’t really bother anyone; she simply goes out there and does her thing. She isn’t particularly brilliant, but she is a sweet filly that stays put and has a positive attitude.
“Damien rode her at Flemington when she won, and he likes her, therefore he will ride her in the Wakeful and the Oaks,” said the trainer. “Damien rode her when she won.”
With a handful of other possibilities on the table for the So You Think colt Perfect Thought, it is highly doubtful that Sargent would go for the VRC Oaks and VRC Derby in 2022.
Given that Perfect Thought lost a costly race there as the $2.25 favourite on his most recent appearance, ‘Sarge’ is hopeful that the track will be upgraded from its present rating of Heavy 8 to a better one on Tuesday at Newcastle.
“He was absolutely terrible on the slick track. “He is significantly more capable than that,” the instructor stated.
“Forget that race, and as long as it gets back to being soft on Tuesday, he will run because he is a serious horse,” the trainer said.
“If he happens to win there, we will go to the Spring Champion if the track is all right (on the day), otherwise he will go down to Melbourne for the Carbine Club,” the trainer said. “If he happens to win there, we will go to the Spring Champion if the track is all good.”
Spiritchaser, Sargent’s other horse on the Newcastle programme on Tuesday, was bred to win a Stradbroke, and he has a good chance of doing so.
Her sire, Show A Heart, won the main race in Brisbane in 2002 at his final appearance, and the sixth dam of Sarge’s filly, Wiggle, is legendary for winning the Stradbroke while she was only two years old. Her sire won the race at his final attempt.
Patience to Pay Dividends When Felix Majestic Makes His Debut
The horse Felix Majestic, who is trained by Gary Nickson and will celebrate his birthday on Wednesday, will first give his owner and breeder a gift of their own when he makes his long-awaited debut at Newcastle on Tuesday. However, before he does that, he will celebrate his birthday.
The offspring of Smart Missile was born on October 12th, 2019, and even though it has been almost exactly three years since then and he has had his first start, it appears that the wait was well worth it considering the unrestricted potential that he possesses.
Nickson began his explanation by saying, “He is owned by a chap called Phillip Katos from Geelong in Melbourne.” “He is responsible for the conception of Felix, and he currently keeps three or four broodmares at Twin Hills, which is located in Cootamundra and is home to Smart Missile.
We simply provided the horse with the schooling that he would have had as a two-year-old and gave him some time because the Smart Missiles aren’t toddlers.
“His initial proceeding in Hawkesbury was a successful proceeding. There were a couple of Godolphin horses that finished ahead of him and have done well since then. Those horses have continued to perform well. In addition, throughout that trial, he made a strong comeback and performed exceptionally well overall.
“After that, we took him back to Warwick Farm to put him through his paces, and he won just as he wanted to.
Nickson referred to him as a “ready-made racehorse” in his statement. “He is a precious treasure to work with. He never causes any trouble, and he always makes sure that everything is in order.
“He explodes out of the gate with incredible speed, and he never stops moving. You can ride him backwards or forwards, and he appears to handle the going (in the rain) just fine.
Felix Majestic has not been seen in public since the conclusion of his Warwick Farm trial on July 24, but things appear to be moving even more smoothly behind closed doors more recently.
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