KEY POINTS:
In such a talent-packed stable it is easy for a horse like Miracle Miss to drop off the radar.
That should all change a little after 7.39pm on Ellerslie's twilight card today.
The talented Matamata four-year-old looks well placed in the R80 1600, a race fast-moving premiership contender John Sargent is using as a black-type dress rehearsal.
"I'd like to see her win," says Sargent, who has rocketed into third place in the early trainers' race with 22 season wins.
"If she's going to be a contender for fillies and mares races you'd like to think she can."
Sargent has all the right signs the race-fit mare can land her third win from just eight attempts.
She jumps from an inside gate, is a past winner in the grade already and will relish the track-cushion from recent rain in Auckland.
There are a couple of niggling unknowns for Pick Six punters looking for a final leg anchor.
Miracle Miss runs in the hood for the first time and also makes her debut the right-hand way round.
But countering that is the fact Sargent has rider Lisa Cropp back in the saddle - and no one knows her better on raceday.
Cropp was aboard in both her impressive wins and again in her other career highlight, a close-up fourth in the last year's group one 1000 Guineas (1600) at Riccarton when trained at Hastings by Guy Lowry.
Just ahead of her that day were Dorabella, Princess Coup and Velvet and Satin.
It's been a slow road back to the full fitness - Miracle Miss cracked a bone soon after.
But the exciting type struck back with instant success, winning impressively over 1400m at Otaki in September before two explainable misses next time out.
Sargent said Miracle Miss jarred up on a flint-hard Hastings when favourite on October 6 and was trapped wide near the tail before running home for sixth at Te Rapa.
Another four-year-old mare, Keepaflyin, can open her account as a stayer in the fourth leg of the picksix, the Dunstan feeds Qualifier (2200m).
She ventured to Otaki for her middle-distance debut late last month and was run down near the post. With natural improvement, she can break through in today's moderate company.
Meanwhile, Sargent also expects classy three-year-old Lovetrista to put her Filly of the Year quest back on track at Te Rapa on Saturday. She is using a 1200m three-year-old event as a tune-up for the Eight Carat Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
"They should be a bit sharp for her Saturday but it will be a good pipe-opener for the Eight Carat," he said.
