By Mandy Cottell – RAS Newswire
Progressive two-year-old Owen County has booked his passage to Queensland for a shot at the $1m, Group 1 J J Atkins Stakes (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 11th with a classy victory at Randwick.
Trainer John Sargent pulled the right rein by keeping the Dundeel gelding in Sydney for Saturday’s $130,000, Precise Air Handicap (1400m) after he was made an emergency for the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) in Brisbane where he would have failed to gain a run.
The first prizemoney cheque of over $61,000 at his home track has vaulted him up the order of entry for the J J Atkins and while Sargent has Derby aspirations longer-term, he is equally keen to give Owen County a chance at the top level as a two-year-old.
“Early doors, ‘Sarge’ always had that (Derby) earmarked but we will head to Brisbane first and the owners and breeders can have their dream up there,” Sargent’s stable representative, Campbell Ashby said.
“He has been a horse who was a bit tricky early doors.
“It took the boys a couple of phone calls to get them to cut the horse, but he is now repaying them.”
