Trainer John Sargent has revealed that he will instruct Tye Angland to settle Gust Of Wind at the tail of the 2015 Australian Oaks field when she jumps from barrier seven in the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
John Sargent is confident that Gust Of Wind will run out a strong 2400 metres in the 2015 Australian Oaks. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Gust Of Wind hit the line well in the final stages to finish fourth behind Candelara in the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Monday, but Sargent told RSN this morning that not everything went to plan with the Darci Brahma filly in the Group 3 event and he said that jockey Zac Purton informed him at the conclusion of the race that the three-year-old was never comfortable when she was asked to run between other horses.
“She is the type of horse that Thunder Lady was in the spring,” Sargent said.
“It didn’t go to plan; we got back on the fence and then Purton followed Joao Moreira and then he came back to us and we had to go back out.
“He also stated that the horse wasn’t that comfortable between other horses and when she has won she has come down the outside.
“I will be instructing Tye to go back on her and stay out and just get down the outside.”
Gust Of Wind made her racing debut with a fourth place finish in a maiden at Seymour on December 19 last year and she went on to stamp herself as an Australian Oaks contender when she took out the Golden Fleece Hotel Maiden (1400m) at Scone on February 23 and the Darley Handicap (1600m) at Hawkesbury on March 10.
Sargent said that he is happy with the fitness levels of Gust Of Wind heading into the Australian Oaks and he is confident that the filly will run out a strong 2400 metres, but he admits that Thunder Lady is his best chance of winning a maiden Australian Oaks.
“The good thing going for her is that she is rock hard and she will get the trip – she will get two miles eventually she is that laid back,” Sargent said.
“It was a good run albeit she probably doesn’t have the class of Thunder Lady, Winx and the New Zealand filly coming over.”
Gust Of Wind is currently available at 2015 Australian Oaks odds of $15, while Winx ($4.20) is now a clear favourite from Fenway ($6), Thunder Lady ($6.50), Ballet Suite ($7.50) and Savaria ($8).
