John Sargent will be spreading his team far and wide in the coming weeks with runners during the Brisbane and Adelaide carnivals, but first he is hoping to strike a blow closer to home.
Mayrose was a surprise winner of the Midway Handicap (1400m) at Randwick two weeks ago when she rebounded off a brace of unplaced runs for a convincing victory.
Sargent had never doubted her talent but said he had to go back to the drawing board to unearth it.
“I’d been waiting for her to hit form. I took all her gear off and changed things around a bit and she’s showed what she is capable of,” Sargent said.
“She seems to have turned the corner and she’s got the same draw (four), same rider (Tom Sherry) and I think it’s a nice race for her.
“Her work was very good on Tuesday and if she gets a clear run, I can’t see a reason why she won’t be hard to beat again.”
Sargent will also have the progressive Perfect Thought in the Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday to kick off what could be a fruitful winter carnival for the stable.
His ATC Australian Oaks runner-up So Dazzling will trial at Randwick on Monday before joining the colt in Brisbane where her goal will be either the Queensland Oaks (2200m) or Queensland Derby (2400m).
Inexplicably, she is not quoted in most pre-nomination Oaks markets but is a $15 Derby chance.
“She will trial on Monday and then she’ll go to the Rough Habit (Plate) and then either the Derby in Queensland or the Oaks,” Sargent said.
“I gave her ten days in the paddock and she seems fine so I thought we’d push onto this and then have an easy spring with her and concentrate on the autumn with her next year.”
The Rough Habit Plate (2000m) is at Doomben on May 13, the same afternoon as the South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville, which is the target for Sargent’s improving Xtravagant three-year-old Xtrarevz.
Sargent confirmed top jockey Kerrin Mcevoy had been booked for the Derby mount on Xtrarevz, a last start winner over 2000m at Scone.