Familiar face on deck as mare eyes carnival

JOHN Sargent has left no stone unturned to ensure his Dundeel mare Left Reeling kicks off an ambitious spring carnival campaign at Hawkesbury on Tuesday by booking the jockey he calls ‘the best in the world’.

“Sarge” will hook up another former Kiwi, James McDonald, who knew Left Reeling’s epic father, Dundeel, better than anyone.

Incredibly, McDonald rode Dundeel in 18 of his 19 starts.

J-Mac won all 10 races on the now Arrowfield Stud resident beginning with his Ellerslie Maiden win in April 2012 culminating two years and 10-days later in his swan song Queen Elizabeth Stakes triumph at Royal Randwick.

‘’James trialled Left Reeling the other day and he liked her so he wanted to ride when she got to the races,’’ Sargent said.

‘’I remember James from back in New Zealand, he was only a little pony club rider then. I think he was riding at about 42kg when he started – he was tiny.

“He just went bang, bang, bang and now he is probably rated the best in the world, or one of them.’’

Left Reeling was foaled in New Zealand herself but found her way across the Tasman early enough to be sold at the Easter Yearling Sale in 2020.

Knocked down for $150,000, Left Reeling is out

James McDonald steers It's A Dundeel to victory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

of Green Roller, a Flying Spur daughter whose five wins included the Listed TRC Stutt Stakes in Tasmania.

Sargent held classic aspirations for Left Reeling during her three-year-old career, plans that were interrupted at a most inopportune time.

‘’She got an injury and pulled a hamstring and we had to have a good spell with her so she missed those important three-year-old races,’’ Sargent explained.

“But we have gradually brought her back.

“And this is a nice race for her to kick off.

‘’She was very green last prep and Dundeel fillies can be a bit hot. She was learning all the time and ran on a few wet tracks so she had a few excuses.’’

Left Reeling could start one of the shortest priced favourites on the Hawkesbury card in contrast to her stablemate Blue Canasta who seeks to shed his maiden status in the opener. The $60,000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale purchase has more or less been in a ‘building phase’ in his four starts but is ready to reap the fruits of his labour.

‘’He should be at his peak on Tuesday,’’ Sargent says.

“I’ve added visors and he is bred to get a bit of a trip so I would be disappointed if he doesn’t run a good race.

‘’He will roll up on the speed and I honestly think he should go well in that field because it is not overly strong. I think he is good value at eight or nine to one in that field.’’

Sargent’s third runner on the Hawkesbury card is the Show A Heart replica and Wiggle descendant Spiritchaser.

The now three-year-old filly was all at sea on the Heavy 10 at Royal Randwick on debut in the only race run on the day before the meeting came to an abrupt end.