Improving Toesonthenose strong in Newcastle victory

[Wandering Eyes]

The John Sargent-trained Toesonthenose (NZ) (Ocean Park) scored the fifth victory of his career when running out a strong winner of the Karaka 2024 Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600m) at the Newcastle feature meeting on Saturday.

Carrying topweight of 59kgs, the son of Ocean Park was three back on the fence rounding the home bend but cruised past his rivals to score by just over two lengths under a perfect Nash Rawiller ride.

Sargent has a lot of time for the galloper, who is raced by Tricolours Racing & Syndications and has now won A$246,460 in prizemoney from 18 starts.   

“He’s a very promising stayer. He just hasn’t had things go his own way,” Sargent said.

“He should go on with it now and get over further.”

“Tricolours have been great supporters. This guy was with Mark Newnham and came to me last season (when Newnham relocated to Hong Kong).

Toesonthenose is a graduate of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, where he was sold by Kilgravin Lodge for $50,000 to James Moss of Tricolours Racing.

While Sargent won’t be in attendance at this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale in person, which commences on Wednesday, he has made arrangements to be represented.

“It has been a terrific sale over the years and hopefully I will be purchasing,” he said.

Sargent was still ruing a wide draw of barrier 18 in the A$500,000 Four Pillars (1500m) at Toesonthenose’ previous start when sixth.

“If he had of drawn a decent gate in the Four Pillars last start, he would have won,” Sargent said.

“He will go over 2000m now in a couple of weeks at Randwick and he should just keep improving.

“In the autumn you will see an even better horse. He will get better with time. There is nothing wrong with the Ocean Parks.” Out of the winning More Than Ready mare Peak Performer, who stems from the family of So You Think, Toesonthenose was bred by Ocean Park’s trainer Gary Hennessy along with wife Jenny under their Weowna Park banner in conjunction with Andrew Wong.

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