Sargent Loves His Stayers

Media Release - Monday November 28

Expat New Zealand trainer John Sargent says his secret to training stayers is fairly simple: get the right horse, and a lot of long, slow work.

Now based in Sydney, Sargent added to his fine record with long distance horses with two major victories in Australia at the weekend: the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) with Gin Martini on Saturday, and the Jericho Cup (4652m) at Warrnambool with Bastida a day later.

Gin martini (NZ) won the Listed Sandown Cup over 3200m - image Grant Courtney

Sargent’s record with stayers prior to this weekend include two Wellington Cups, a New Zealand Cup, and and Oaks victories on both sides of the Tasman.

He attributes his record to the education he got while working in Britain, and the way he sources horses – sometimes by necessity.

“I did five years in Newmarket and learned a lot about staying training. It showed me how much more long, slow work you can give them – we don’t have the same facilities but you can still do a lot of that type of work around the track,” Sargent said.

“That type of long slow work, along with a lot of walking and swimming, is especially good for getting these horses out to two miles and even 4652m.

“The other main reason is what I buy at the sales. I can’t afford the two-year-olds and sprinters, hence I go to New Zealand and I buy the staying fillies in particular, along with some colts.”

Bastida, who led home a New Zealand-bred trifecta in the Jericho Cup, beating home Botti and Epizeel, was bought by Sargent on gavelhouse.com for $41,000 from Hawke’s Bay breeder Mick Ormond, who stayed in the horse after he was sent to Australia.

“I trained Bastida’s mother Sirani and won a few races with her, and I was delighted to be able to get him. It’s that good Black Mamba family,” Sargent said.

“Mick Ormond’s great grandfather’s brother fought in World War I so it was quite a poignant thing that he wanted to come over and watch the race.

“The Jericho’s a great race to win and it’s gaining traction every year.”

Sargent said Bastida should prove to be capable of performing at more standard staying distances and wouldn’t need 4600m to be competitive.

Advertisement

He was also very happy with the effort of Gin Martini, especially given it was her first race at Caulfield.

“I thought she’d stay the distance, but it’s very hard to win at Caulfield without having a gallop there,” Sargent said.

“It’s quite a tricky track and she didn’t handle the bend into the straight both times. Craig Williams (jockey) said he always thought she’d win the race, it was just a case of getting her balanced.”

Sargent said Gin Martini may head back to Sydney to contest the Listed Christmas Cup (2400m) on December 10 prior to having a break, while Bastida would be turned out following the Jericho Cup.

The pair may find their paths crossing later in the season as they could both head towards the Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m) at Flemington in May, a race in which the winner gains an automatic entry to the 2023 Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).

“It’s worth a go because a lot of horses just don’t run two miles, and we know she does,” Sargent said.

“The Adelaide Cup is another potential option – it’s two miles and just below the top tier.”

So Dazzling is a contender for the G1 Australian Oaks - image Grant Courtney

Sargent said he was very happy with the team he had and was looking forward to spring. He has a lot of time for Perfect Thought, winner of the Gr.3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on October 29, while he said his filly So Dazzling, a $200,000 buy from the Beaufort Downs draft at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale last year, was a definite contender for the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) in autumn.

“She was going very well but had a heart fibrillation in the Wakeful Stakes. She’s recovered from that and you’ll see a different filly in the Australian Oaks.”

Sargent said he was a huge fan of the New Zealand thoroughbred and that he expected to be active at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale early next year. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Steve Davis Awarded NZTBA Personality of the Year
Bloodstock auctioneer and media personality Steve Davis has been honoured as the 2025 NZTBA Personality of the Year, in recognition of a lifetime of contribution to the New Zealand thoroughbred breeding industry.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday July 29
Here is the full list of 22 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Velocious sells for staggering $1.625m on Inglis Digital to Yulong
The G1-winning 2YO Velocious (Written Tycoon) tonight became the second most expensive filly ever sold on Inglis Digital, realising $1.625m to the bid of Yulong.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
This will be the last Juvenile Trial Watch story for this season with all these youngsters to turn three on Friday and there was plenty of action with eight heats won by 2YOs and two more of this season’s G3 2YO’s North England and Memo stepping out against the older G1 stars.
Glorious Goodwood Day 2 – Field of Gold is No Frankel
The second day of the Glorious Goodwood meeting was supposed to be the one where charismatic grey three year-old Field of Gold smashed his elders to win the Group I Sussex Stakes (1m), but that didn’t happen and instead we saw the longest priced G1 winner in British history.
Promising Tagaloa Winner
Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan went to Warwick Farm on Wednesday hoping she had a horse with a bright future and now she knows she has after two year-old colt Tambeloa relished a step up in trip to break his maiden.
Stewart honoured with Young Achiever at NZ National Breeding Awards
White Robe Lodge’s Jack Stewart was recognised with the Mary Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award at Saturday’s National Breeding Awards in Karapiro, highlighting his growing impact on New Zealand’s breeding and racing landscape.
Wakefield Gears Up for Another Busy Season
Wakefield Stud is preparing for another busy breeding season in 2025, as the business continues its re-emergence in the industry after coming under new ownership in 2024.
Glorious Goodwood Day 1- Bluebloods, Bargains and Tragedy
The famed Glorious Goodwood meeting got underway overnight with three Group races contested that saw all of the favourites rolled with a new G1 winner for Justify, a first stakes-winner for a young Frankel sire son and a return to form for Golden Eagle winner Lake Forest.
Closer Look at Written Tycoon – The Golden Crop Delivers
The sun might be setting on the stud career of Written Tycoon, but he’s not going into the twilight years quietly and is set to be crowned Champion Australian 3YO Sire this season, which is probably something predicted by many when he got the opportunity of a lifetime to cover at Arrowfield Stud for one season in 2020.