HOME GROUND’S ADVANTAGE
RANDWICK trainer John Sargent has a major player in this year’s $2 million Group 1 VRC Derby after his High Chaparral gelding Home Ground outstayed his opponents in yesterday’s 2200m Geelong Classic.
Bred to stay out of a Danehill Dancer mare, the three-year-old proved too tough courtesy of a strong ride by Ben Melham.
Sargent was at Geelong for the first time to witness his rising stayer book a place in the Group 1 feature on the first Saturday of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
“I’ve never been here, it’s a great place, I love it,” Sargent quipped of Geelong.
“It was definitely the race we thought might suit him.
“The last two starts, the wet tracks didn’t suit and we thought if he could come to a nice staying track like this and get a lovely ride from Ben Melham it would help.
“He was four or five lengths from Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s colt (Thinkin’ Big) and he’s the one to beat in the Derby. He’s shown today he’ll stay.
“He’s not a class stayer, he’s a grinding stayer, but if you get them there fit on the day, they can be there abouts.”
Sargent said a sixth-placed finish in the Group 1 JJ Atkins behind champion The Autumn Sun in June as a two-year-old suggested Home Ground would be better suited over a Derby distance.
But Sargent said he’d have to be very good to turn the tables on Thinkin’ Big, who saluted in style in the Caulfield Classic on Saturday to stamp himself as the favourite.
“I don’t know whether he’s up to the class of the top liners but he’ll get the trip,” Sargent said. “That’ll be hard; he’s a very good colt, that horse and the Godolphin horse (Aramayo) — they’re the two to beat — but if you get them there, you’re in the race and you hope for a bit of luck and you’re a good chance.”