John Sargent-trained filly Wootton Lass has upstaged $3 million yearling buy Ernaux to book herself another black-type opportunity during the Sydney autumn carnival.
Much fanfare surrounded the debut of Ernaux at Wednesday’s Kensington track meeting given her status as the second highest-priced filly at last year’s Australian Easter Yearling Sale, her price tag bettered only by Winx’s $10 million foal.
Owned in partnership by John Stewart’s Resolute Racing, Ernaux ($4) finished fourth after bumbling the start, and while it wasn’t the result connections hoped for, assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth wasn’t disappointed with her effort.
“Blowing the start made it very hard. She has actually quickened up really nicely,” Duckworth said.
“It’s only race two, I don’t know if the fence is a bit slower but I’m not sure (jockey James McDonald) was afforded the option to go anywhere else.
“Ultimately, it was a pretty good debut.”
Ernaux finished 1-3/4 lengths behind Wootton Lass, who Sargent said was significantly better behaved than when she finished down the track in the Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) at her first appearance.
“I thought she was good enough to go first-up into the Sweet Embrace but the day got to her,” Sargent said.
“She got on the toe and got galloped on and she wasn’t really herself. But it brought her on so much and today she was more relaxed, she got there easily and she performed how I expected her to first-up.
“She was a lot more settled today and mentally, that first run did a lot for her.”
Sargent has a healthy opinion of the daughter of Wootton Bassett, the Coolmore stallion who is enjoying some great results in Australia with Royal Patronage recently claiming the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes and Wodeton finishing runner-up in the Golden Slipper.
Wootton Lass has also inspired connections to dream big, with Sargent confirming he is eyeing a start in the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 12.
“Probably the Percy Sykes. We’ll go there, see if we can get some black-type for the owner, and then give her a break,” Sargent said.
Tulloch Lodge won the other two-year-old race on the program with Farnan youngster Farnicle, who co-trainer Adrian Bott predicted would improve with distance and maturity.
He will assess how the colt comes through the run before making any decisions but says Farnicle could either head to Queensland for a winter carnival target, or to the paddock to prepare for his three-year-old season.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing him once we can get him over that little bit further and once he starts to fully mature for us,” Bott said.
