Trainer John Sargent’s hopes of winning another feature three-year-old fillies race have been boosted with premier Brisbane jockey Jeff Lloyd’s booking for Tinkermosa on Saturday.
Tinkermosa can give Sargent his second Queensland Oaks and his fourth Oaks overall in Australia at Doomben.
Sargent won the 2012 Queensland Oaks with Quintessential, the 2013 VRC Oaks with Kirramosa and the 2015 Australian Oaks with Gust Of Wind, the last horse to beat the champion Winx.
Sargent has also won the traditional VRC Oaks lead-up, the Group Two Wakeful Stakes, three times.
The latest was with Luvaluva this season and she went on to win the Group Two Adrian Knox Stakes in Sydney in the autumn.
Sargent is regarded as an outstanding trainer having won premierships in his native New Zealand and Malaysia.
But his speciality is staying races and Tinkermosa is an example of why.
The filly is typical of Sargent’s horses going into big races – battle hardened and fit.
Lloyd was expected to ride one of Chris Waller’s runners in the Queensland Oaks but when the Sydney trainer made some changes Sargent was quick to pounce.
“You have to get the best local jockey when you can. He rode a treble last Saturday and knows exactly how to ride Doomben,” Sargent said.
“I am very happy to have him on this filly.”
He believes Tinkermosa is up to the level of his previous Oaks winners and will be hard to beat on Saturday.
“She is improving all the time and handles all types of tracks. She can get a nice place with cover and finish strongly.”
Sargent believes Tinkermosa should have won her last start instead of finishing second to Queensland Derby hopeful Almighty Crown at Warwick Farm.
“James McDonald rode her and I think he was a bit keen on his first day back. He went a bit early and the winner kicked back to just beat us,” Sargent said.
“I don’t think there is much doubt she should have won.”
Tinkermosa will remain in Brisbane to contest the Queensland Derby on June 9 if she races well on Saturday.
The Oaks is dominated by Waller who has accepted with five runners including favourites Youngstar and Another Dollar.
