Opal can have her Moment in autumn
John Sargent concedes Powers Of Opal was beaten fair and square by Treasurethe Moment both times during last year's Melbourne Cup Carnival, but that does not mean he has giving up hope of one day gaining her measure.
The Randwick trainer is eager to get another crack at Matt Laurie's daughter of Alabama Express, who condemned Powers Of Opal to second spot in both the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m), in Sydney during the autumn.
Sargent is confident the daughter of Ocean Park has enough in her favour this campaign to give her the chance to turn the tables.
"We'll be on our home track, we've raced up here and we won't have to travel, so that will all be a big help," Sargent said.
"Let's hope she can turn around the seconds into wins and the Victorian filly that beat her comes up."
Powers Of Opal is progressing well in her campaign, which is closing in on trial stage.
"She'll have a couple of trials and then go through the three-year-old fillies races up to the Vinery and the Oaks," Sargent said.
"She had about four weeks out. I couldn't give her much longer because it's a quick turnaround after you run down there in the Oaks.
"You're better to have them back here in work in case something goes wrong and you've got a bit of residual fitness in them."
The Group 1 Vinery Stakes (2000m) will be run at Rosehill on March two weeks before the Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) at Randwick.
