St Germaine will launch Kiwi trainer John Sargent’s early assault on the Brisbane winter carnival in the Listed Juanmo Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Sargent, who has been training for 30 years including five years in Singapore, already has eight horses based at Eagle Farm with further ammunition coming down the line for the winter.
St Germaine has not started since failing behind Jimmy Choux in the Group One Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at Hastings in September but has been in work long enough for Sargent to forecast a strong performance.
Sargent plans to relocate his New Zealand operation to Sydney next season with a smaller satellite operation remaining in New Zealand.
Sargent knows it’s early days for St Germaine who is on her second Queensland trip.
“These races are hard to win and the Aussies don’t give their money away easily,” he said.
“Whatever she does on Saturday will bring her on.
“The way she has come up this campaign it looks like being her year.”
The daughter of Keeper was placed twice in four starts last winter in the Group Three Lord Mayor’s Cup (1615m) at Doomben and when runner-up to Willy Jimmy in the Listed Strawberry Road Handicap (1600m) at Eagle Farm last June.
In her last winter appearance, St Germaine finished ninth to Yosei in the Group One Tatt’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm before returning home.
On her return to New Zealand, St Germaine had two further starts, failing in the Group One Challenge Stakes at Hastings and Windsor Park Plate but Sargent dismissed both runs.
“She had a long campaign before she came home and although she had a break before those two races she probably needed more time out,” he said.
Sargent has made many trips to Queensland for the winter and has high hopes for talented filly Quintessential and youngster Choice Bro.
Quintessential, third in last month’s Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham, will make her Queensland debut in the Group Three Gunsynd Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday week.
She will then take the traditional route to the Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm in June via the Group Three The Roses (2000m) at Doomben on May 19.
Choice Bro, who won the Group One Sires’ Produce at Awapuni on March 31, will arrive in Brisbane next week for his main mission in the Group One TJ Smith at Eagle Farm in June.
Sargent is also targeting the Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) with three of his team – Largo Da Barra, Keep Winning and Red Unicorn.
