Ex-Kiwi
trainer John Sargent has a happy knack for producing quality three year-old
fillies that invariably run well in Oaks races and we may have seen a contender
for the Group I VRC Oaks ta Warwick Farm on Monday.
By Declaration of War (USA), who sired this year's Group I BRC Queensland Oaks
winner Winning Ways, Aspect Ratio showed her class two starts back when second in
the Group III ATC Ming Dynasty Quality and broke the ice for her first win in
this 1600 metre maiden.
She travelled smoothly back in the field for Andrew Adkins and sustained a long
finishing run to surge home out wide and win by half a length over the fast closing
Savabeel gelding Relucent, who is trained by Chris Waller and entered for the
Victoria Derby.
Both horses will be well worth following as they step up in distance and no
doubt head to Melbourne.
A $75,000 Karaka Book Two purchase for Sargent from the Curraghmore Stud draft,
Aspect Ratio is the second winner from Group III placed Poste Restante, who won
up to 2400 metres and was also fourth in a New Zealand Oaks.
A Group I winning son of War Front, Declaration of War shuttled to Coolmore for
two seasons and has left six stakes-winners in Australia and New Zealand,
mostly over staying trips and including last Saturday's Flemington
stakes-winner Warning, who is aimed towards the Victoria Derby.