Fast ‘N’ Famous Mare a Carnival Star

John Sargent’s top mare Quintessential again showed her fondness for the Queensland winter carnival with victory in Saturday’s Gr.2 Eagle Farm Cup. The daughter of WS resident sire Fast ‘N’ Famous has posted her last three career wins at Eagle Farm following her success in last year’s Gr 1 Queensland Oaks and in the Gr 3 Chairman’s Handicap a fortnight ago.

Sargent, who is now a trans-Tasman trainer with a stable at Warwick Farm in Sydney, said he doubted Quintessential would return to New Zealand. “Probably will (stay here) now. She loves this course, the temperature and the climate.”

Also sharing in Quintessential’s successes has been former Kiwi jockey Damian Browne. “She’s all heart,” he said.

“When Manighar came up I thought ‘we could be in some trouble here’ but gee she showed some fight. She needed to step up today, there were genuine weight-for-age horses in the race but she just tries her heart out, she’s all guts.” Sargent said Quintessential would back up next Saturday in the Gr 2 Brisbane Cup over 2400 metres.