John Sargent sets sights on Inglis Nursery

That was the case a few seasons ago when he captured the 2021 Sweet Embrace Stakes with Four Moves Ahead, who went on to finish fourth in that year’s Golden Slipper and ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes.

On Saturday at Randwick, Sargent will start debutante Tokyo Lady in the $500,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m), hopeful he might again have another smart juvenile on his books.

A recent barrier trial winner at Warwick Farm, Sargent has been happy with Tokyo Lady’s progress, but stopped short of declaring her in the same mould as Four Moves Ahead.

“Not yet, but hopefully she will be,” Sargent said.

“She’s a Tassort filly, she won a trial nicely at Warwick Farm last week.

“She is a natural two-year-old. She’s not very big, but we’ll run her and she should do well.”

Restricted to Inglis Sales graduates, the race has attracted a final field of 15 with Tokyo Lady, a $50,000 Classic Sale purchase, one of three runners by Newgate stallion Tassort, who has already produced Gimcrack Stakes winner Manaal.

Sacred Fort, runner-up at Newcastle on debut, and first starter Cashaway Gold are also by the first season sire.

Only five of the Inglis Nursery runners have race experience including Victorian-trained colts Blue Stratum and Odinson, who were second and third respectively in the Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.

Tokyo Lady is a Tricolours Racing syndication, as are two of Sargent’s other Randwick runners, Midway Handicap (1200m) hopeful Ningaloo Star and Toesonthenose, who backs up in the Max Brenner Santa Cup (2000m) after winning at Rosehill last weekend.

Sargent’s team is rounded out by Perfect Thought in the Racing And Sports Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m), the Queensland Guineas runner-up starting afresh after failing to come up in two early-spring runs.