A single-minded campaign has paved the way to Gust of Wind being at the peak of her powers for Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.
Trainer John Sargent is thrilled with the mare’s progress since her encouraging fourth in the Caulfield Cup and is confident she is ready to give her best on Tuesday.
Sargent said the mare’s ATC Oaks win in the autumn had given him the luxury of knowing Gust of Wind was assured of a Melbourne Cup start so he could pick and choose her path without worrying about the need to qualify.
“We haven’t had to go to races that we didn’t want to,” Sargent said.
“I didn’t think Caulfield would suit her with the undulating tight turns but it's shown it's the best lead up race so that’s why we went there.”
Sargent believes Gust Of Wind can improve at Flemington and is also confident that jockey Chad Schofield’s first ride on the mare in the Caulfield Cup will help him on Tuesday.
“He knows a lot more about her and I don’t think he’ll be sitting as he was in that race where they sprinted around him before he made his run,” Sargent said.
“She’s more of really grinding two miler, we saw that in the Oaks in Sydney, so I think we’ve learned a lot since Caulfield.”
Sargent said the wide draw of gate 19 was not ideal but he was not concerned by a wide run as the long as the mare had cover and room to make her run.
“The one thing for sure is I’d like to tag on to something from the half mile and get a nice roll into it on the turn so she can really get out and get trucking,” Sargent said.
“If they sit and sprint it’s not her game, she’s such a big striding mare.”
Gust of Wind is a $31 chance in TAB fixed odds.