Sargent rueing bad luck, again; Lammas au fait with Oaks hope; Silent Achiever blooming in Sydney.
Sargent rueing bad luck, again
Fetlock and hamstring issues have restricted the mare to just four starts since she won the Gr.1 VRC Oaks in 2013 and now she has suffered a hairline fracture of a pedal bone.
She had been nominated for last Saturday’s Gr.2 Millie Fox Stakes, but a suspected stone bruise kept her out of the 1300 metre event.“It was still sore on Monday so we got an x-ray of her foot and she has a hairline fracture of her pedal bone,” Sargent said. “She is out for the autumn.
“I thought I had her back to her best and she is one of the best stayers I have trained. She won’t be seen until the spring again.”Lammas au fait with Oaks hope
Cameron Lammas won’t be a stranger to Massofdash when he rides the filly in Saturday’s Gr.3 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes at Hastings.“I’ve had Cameron ride her in a couple of gallops and he’s happy with her,” trainer Jim Collett said.
“She will be up against it a bit after she missed a race at Taranaki, but she’s got plenty of ability and she’s nice and relaxed.“She doesn’t have to win on Saturday to go to the Oaks - just a nice, solid race and Cameron is a kind rider with good hands.”
Massofdash is currently a $31 chance for the Gr.1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks at Trentham on March 14.Silent Achiever blooming in Sydney
Roger James can’t fault Silent Achiever going into Saturday’s Gr.1 Chipping Norton Stakes at Warwick Farm.“She looks in magnificent order and probably as strong as I’ve ever seen her,” the Cambridge trainer said.
“She’s thrived and I’ve kept her as fresh as possible to see if we can get a Group One mile.”After Saturday, Silent Achiever will defend her Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes crown at Rosehill and James will then decide on a start in the Gr.1 BMW a week later or wait for the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes on April 11.