Sargent confident French Ruler can salute in Championships qualifier

The last-chance saloon for horses trying to qualify for Saturday week’s Provincial-Midway Championships Final at Randwick looms as a happy hunting ground for trainer John Sargent.

And just maybe, it’s a surefire sign that his two fancies in Thursday’s wildcard qualifier over 1350m at Wyong are drawn right alongside each other.

Held over from Saturday’s washed-out meeting, the qualifier is now likely to be run on a Soft 6 rating, with the wet weather finally subsiding and replaced by clearer skies.

Certainly French Ruler, a tough and versatile three-year-old, couldn’t have arrived at the qualifier in better shape.

He hit the line well two starts back behind a smart winner in a high-quality edition of the listed Canberra Guineas before not getting the best of runs when working home late in the Newcastle qualifier won by Matcha Latte a fortnight ago.

But fast-forward to a softer track at Wyong and, with the addition of blinkers, French Ruler looks primed. The trainer certainly isn’t lacking confidence.

“I thought he would qualify through Newcastle,” Sargent said. “I wasn’t going to back him up, but it’s still quite good. He’ll go in with a live chance and is a very fit horse. If he can get to the final, it’s a different story at Randwick, where he runs well.”

French Ruler was around $5.50 in early betting behind Rosehill-based Magnatear at $3.70.

The Sargent yard’s other chance is talented albeit hard-to-catch mare Harlow Mist, who also backs up from that unplaced effort behind Matcha Latte when she got little room or luck from well back in the field.