Racing: Everswindell primed to stroke for Oaks glory

All season trainers tread the fine line between qualifying a filly for the New Zealand Oaks and watching them self-destruct from over-racing.

Matamata Oaks rookie John Sargent, however, has been spared that kind of stress with Everswindell.

While frailer rivals have fallen by the wayside, Sargent's bullet-proof Align stayer has blossomed into the equine version of the famous rowing twins she's named after.

"She looks like a colt now - she's bigger and stronger than ever," said Sargent, who also saddles Sharvasti and Ciara in his first attempt at the group one prize at Trentham tomorrow.

"She's fit and hard for the race and working and racing like she's going to get the trip."

Sargent said Everswindell was hopeless on a soft track when third last time out behind race rivals Molta and Sharvasti in the Lowland Stakes at Trentham on March 4.

Rider Matthew Cameron, a stand-in for Oaks pilot Vinny Colgan, said Everswindell was floundering from the 1000m.

Fitness wise, though, the 2100m slog was crucial to the filly's Oaks chances. She even blew slightly after a semi-final gallop with Sharvasti at her temporary Levin base on Tuesday.

With a searching sprint yesterday to top off her preparation, Sargent is confident she'll be razor sharp for tomorrow's 2400m test.

Sargent piled on similar pressure before Everswindell emerged as a one of the best fillies in the land with her close second to Seachange in the 1000 Guineas last November.

The only glitch on the Oaks trail since was a minor scare in the Wellington Stakes on January 21.

Sargent expected her to win that day but Everswindell hung so badly for her battling fifth he feared she'd had enough.

It was only later that he discovered she was racing on a bruised off foreleg.

Given the easy time she had since that injury, there was a lot to like about her third to Oaks favourite Shikoba in the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic at Te Rapa next time out.

"She's probably the soundest chance of the three I have in the extent that she's been running good races against the best of them at group level," said Sargent.

At least one punter, however, hopes Sargent is wrong.

A long-running $10 multi-bet ticket has $185,000 riding on a Sharvasti success.

"I think she's a chance, I really do," said Sargent, who is aware of the multi-pot at stake, but has no idea who the nervous ticket holder is.

"I've had to be pretty easy on her to get her there, but she is the most talented of them all.

"The mare [Vedodara] has more brilliance but Montjeu puts the stayer in her.

"I think we'll see the best of her in the spring, but she's fit and well for this and I'm as happy as I can be."

Like her stablemates Sharvasti has also drawn a horror gate at 22 before scratchings - Everswindell is in 16 and Ciara 19 - but Sargent isn't too fazed.

"Sharvasti and Ciara were going to get back a bit anyway so hopefully they can still find some cover."

Sargent is also confident that Ciara will cope with the 2400m.

The daughter of a Kinjite mare came home strongly for a close-up fifth to Oaks rival Legs last time out over 1800m at New Plymouth.

Sargent can now only hope Shikoba is leg-wary from her brave last-start third at weight-for-age to Kristov in the Starcraft New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie last Saturday.

But the bad news from trainer Mark Walker yesterday was that the daughter of two-time Canadian horse of the year Chief Bearhart has never looked better.

"The Oaks was always on the cards after Ellerslie unless we chose to go to Sydney instead," said Walker.

"But I think Brisbane is the better option.

"She handles bad ground and that gives us more time to give her a break."

Walker said the other reason he wanted to try Shikoba at weight-for-age at Ellerslie was as a guide to her hopes of winning the Doomben Cup in the lead-up to the Queensland Oaks in Brisbane on June 3.

As for her wide alley at Trentham tomorrow, Walker sees that as more of a plus than a handicap.

"If you look through the field the second half is only average and from an inside alley you run the risk of a horse with only a rough chance coming back on you," said Walker.

"From out there [18] we should still be able to get a nice run one off the fence and stay out of trouble.

"You can still never be confident in an Oaks, but everything's gone right and I'm going into the race happy."

Gaze is another chance in the classic, her $12 fixed odds price further indication of just how many chances the race contains, justifying its move to later in the season.