Racing: Sargent in line for hat trick

Tinseltown will be hard to beat in the Waikato Gold Cup tomorrow. Photo / Greg Bowker

Take the rescheduling tip from Matamata trainer John Sargent in the $100,000 Waikato Times Gold Cup at Te Rapa tomorrow.

Sargent, chasing a record hat-trick in the group two feature, was originally sidestepping the race with his big hope Shi Kin Fly for the Manawatu Cup a week later.

But all the stars are aligning for Sargent, who trained Lovestrista to win in 2008 and the exciting Passchendaele last year.

Shi Kin Fly has bounced back from her desperately unlucky last-start third in the Wanganui Cup in phenomenal shape.

She has also drawn the inside alley - the gate was blamed for her Wanganui defeat - and meets a poor Waikato Cup line-up on a luxury 53kg.

Of the 14 starters, only five - Shi Kin Fly included - are rated higher than 90.

"She should get a lovely run just in behind the speed and looks to have peaked at the right time," said Sargent.

The Wanganui effort for third behind Loose Change and Headsup was sensational.

The 6-year-old drew the outside, trapping rider Buddy Lammas three wide near the tail leaving the straight.

The pair looped the field on the turn to challenge out wide and only just missed by a whisker.

"She doesn't need to get that far off them with any type of draw," said Sargent.

"There looks to be a bit of speed on in the race so I expect to see her trailing in fifth or sixth on the fence."

The step up to 2400m also suits the 2009 Summer Cup (2400m) winner and NZ St Leger (2500m) runner-up.

Safely through this assignment, Sargent plans to take Shi Kin Fly back to Trentham in January for the Trentham Stakes-Wellington Cup double.

He won the same features earlier this year with Red Ruler.

Sargent rates impressive Counties Cup winner Tinseltown the toughest to beat tomorrow. The 7-year-old looks to be thriving in his work this week, boosting Ballymore Stables' hopes of winning its first Waikato Cup.

With the exception of Six O'Clock News it's hard to see any of the beaten lot behind Tinseltown in the Counties Cup turning the tables.

He is only up 1kg in the handicap for that victory; another 2kg that day would not have made a scrap of difference.

But Sargent believes So Royal, another Shinko King 6-year-old, is also an upset hope.

He concedes she was disappointing at Pukekohe but she's a far better horse left-handed and has gone her best races at Te Rapa with two wins from three outings.

Sam Spratt takes the mount on So Royal from Mark Du Plessis, who has opted for Shi Kin Fly.

Sargent also rates third-string Dawn Ghost, an R76 mare, a serious chance to get some of the spoils.

She was badly held up last-start at Otaki and finished full of running in eighth.

"I do rate her. If you draw a gate, get a light weight you always rate a chance with a soft run."

The lightly tried Roger James-trained 4-year-old The Terminator (R79) also adds interest from the emerging lot.

This will be just his sixth start since quitting maiden ranks in April this year.

Unless a staying star explodes from the wings soon, the festival-ending climax, the Auckland Cup, is again a sitting duck for Aussie's B-grade ranks to plunder.

Passchendaele thrilled Sargent with her first gallop this week on the comeback trail.

The "serious stayer" has been sidelined since a hairline fracture of a hind fetlock forced her 11th-hour withdrawal from this year's Auckland Cup.

Sargent says the pinned leg looks as good as new and the time away could be a blessing in disguise.

She is likely to have her first raceday assignment in January with the $1 million Auckland Cup (3200m) in March her main target.