Sargent out to stay the distance in Sydney

Tuesday 1 October 2013, 2:28pm

Trans Tasman trainer John Sargent's immediate vision for his fledgling Australian stable could have its next reward at Canterbury on Wednesday.

Sargent thinks staying-bred horses will be the key to his short-term success as a Sydney-based trainer and his theory will be put to the test once again with Let's Be A Star at the midweek meeting.

"The two-year-olds and sprinters I have in New Zealand can't compete over here," Sargent said.

"But so far the stayers have measured up and I will just keep feeding them into our Randwick stable whenever we can."

Eventually, Sargent is banking on an influx of young bloodstock purchased from Australian yearling sales to help him gain a stronger foothold in Sydney.

"I've been buying stock from local sales to get a few Australian horses in the barn as well," he said.

It didn't take Let's Be A Star long to make an impact on Sydney racing, winning at her first Australian start at Warwick Farm in July.

Two runs since that well-supported victory have done little to curb Sargent's enthusiasm for her Canterbury prospects despite the five-year-old finishing out of the placings both times.

"She is back in class with a nice draw and a decent weight so she's a runner's chance in an even line-up," he said.

At her most recent start, Let's Be A Star drew wide but made ground in a leader-dominated Randwick race won by Ecuador, a horse emerging as a lightweight Epsom Handicap chance on Saturday.

Sargent said a rain-affected track would enhance Let's Be A Star's Canterbury chances as she takes on Mulaqen, Perplexity and Wind Bender - three stayers trained by Chris Waller.

"There was good cut out of the track the day she won at Warwick Farm and any rain is going to help her," he said.

Sargent figures Let's Be A Star will be even better suited to an autumn campaign when Sydney's tracks are usually softer.

– AAP

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