John Sargent will bypass the spring with Centre Pivot to concentrate on next year’s rich Magic Millions carnival at the Gold Coast.
The trainer confirmed Saturday’s TAB.com.au Handicap at Rosehill would be the five-year-old’s final start this campaign before he was rested with a view towards the Magic Millions Trophy (1800m) on January 9.
“I’d like to give him this run and then he can have a nice break, three weeks, and get ready for Magic Millions day,” Sargent said.
“It’s a million dollar race and should suit him.”
Centre Pivot was formerly trained by Sam Kavanagh and is one of the horses at the centre of the ongoing cobalt inquiry.
Sargent took over at the start of the horse’s current campaign and initially feared cobalt had damaged Centre Pivot’s feet.
“Probably at the start of it, he was losing a few shoes but now his feet have come good and he obviously proved he was over any side effects at his last start,” Sargent said.
“He’s right on top of his game now.”
Centre Pivot bounced back from a first-up flop to score a determined win at Rosehill two weeks ago and Sargent said the horse’s work indicated he had continued to improve.
With regular rider Blake Shinn in Melbourne on Saturday, Hugh Bowman takes over the reins.
Winona Costin will partner stablemate Thunder Lady in the same race.
The Group One placegetter didn’t pass a horse when last to Centre Pivot first-up but Sargent wasn’t concerned by her plain return.
“She did that first-up last time. She should finish a bit better this time but I think from her third start onwards you’ll see her at a mile or 1800 and she’ll start to show where she is at,” he said.
Sargent is keen to get Thunder Lady into the major staying races in Melbourne and plans to use either the Metropolitan in Sydney or The Bart Cummings at Moonee Valley in a bid to qualify her for a start in Caulfield and Melbourne the Cups.
