Racing: Fiorente works well for Turnbull

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Damien Oliver substituted for race jockey Nash Rawiller aboard Fiorente at trackwork at Flemington yesterday and delivered a glowing report on the likely Turnbull Stakes favourite.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse said Fiorente, and her other horse nominated for the race, Glencadam Gold, were "fabulous chances" and predicted they could run the quinella in the A$500,000 ($565,400) feature at Flemington on Saturday.

"Damien partnered him this morning and he said Fiorente was really fluid in his action and glided over 1400m on the dirt," Waterhouse said.

There are 31 nominations for the Turnbull, which will be whittled down to 16 with Glencadam Gold, among 16 group one winners in the entries, the second emergency as things stand before acceptances.

Darren Weir, the trainer of Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance de Lune, which is 17th in the order, is also counting on an attrition rate. Much will depend on what owner Lloyd Williams decides to do with his team, including 2012 Turnbull winner Green Moon.

Glencadam Gold, who ran second at his last start, the Hill Stakes at Randwick behind Moriarty, is being targeted at the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

In last year's Melbourne Cup, the 6-year-old gelding finished sixth after leading for much of the race.

"Even though he has been racing back in the field, he is more a front-running horse, while Fiorente can take a position anywhere," Waterhouse said.

Rawiller is giving up mounts at at Randwick to partner Fiorente in the Turnbull.

Further north, transtasman trainer John Sargent's immediate vision for his fledgling Australian stable could have its next reward at Canterbury today.

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 2-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 bought 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 5-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."

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

- AAP