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By Ray Hickson

She’s been “chucked in the deep end” at just her second start but trainer John Sargent suspects Meridiana will be up to the task in the Listed $200,000 Bisley Workwear South Pacific Classic (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer John Sargent (Pic: Bradley Photos).

It’s a race that has been used as a springboard to better things, the likes of Vilana and Ellsberg are recent winners, and Sargent said the filly is all potential.

Meridiana, $5 with TAB on Thursday, debuted with an easy win on the Kensington track on March 13, a race two winners have come from so far.

“It’s a big ask against more experienced horses but it’s got some black type so we’ll have a go,’’ he said.

“She’s got a turn of foot that a lot of horses don’t have.

“In a field like this if she can get some cover and hit the line, a big straight like Randwick should suit her and she’ll have plenty of time to attack the line.

“We’ll see how she goes, it’s probably chucking her in the deep end a bit soon but she was very impressive first-up.”

Molly Bourke rode Meridiana to victory on debut and Sargent was more than happy to give his apprentice a good chance of claiming her second stakes win.

He said from a favourable draw she’ll have the opportunity to make the case to press on to better races.

“If she steps up another level against them we can maybe look at a mile in Queensland coming up in the winter,’’ he said.

“She’s only had the one start so she’s not over the top. She’s a very laid-back individual and just does what she wants.

“She’ll go in there from a nice draw and Molly knows her, she’ll just hide her away midfield somewhere behind the speed and hopefully get out and finish strongly.”

Sargent concedes he’s not working from the textbook by putting Lady Pankhurst into the Listed $200,000 HKJC World Pool Fernhill Mile (1600m) but says she can be a surprise packet.

The filly will jump from her second placing at Wyong over 1000m last week to the Randwick mile.

“She’s out of Thunder Lady, she won a Wakeful and should have won an Oaks,’’ Sargent said.

“She’ll bowl up on speed and she’ll see the trip don’t worry about that.

“It’s a bit unconventional but when I saw the noms I thought ‘I’ve got one bred to go that trip’ and she’ll go in there and give them a bit of a hurry up hopefully.”

French Ruler, with Blake Shinn riding, represents Sargent in the $1 million Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) and he says the three-year-old isn’t out of place in the race.

He qualified with a narrow win in the Wild Card at Wyong over 1350m last week and getting back to his home track is seen as a plus by the trainer.

“He’s on the way up and he’s improved again with that win,’’ he said.

“I think he just jarred up at Newcastle and that’s why he didn’t finish off so that give in the track helped at Wyong and it’ll help again on Saturday. That’s just what he needs.

Meridiana wins at Kensington on March 13

“He’s run some good races and I think he will go up another level, he should be at his peak and we’ve got a world class rider on.”

John Sargent on Wootton Lass (race 4): “I thought she was good enough to take on the Sweet Embrace but the day got to her. Her win last time was promising, she goes in there with a low weight and a nice draw so we’re going to give it a go. It’s a step up but she seems fine and we’ll see how she goes.”

All the fields, form and replays for Day 2 of The Star Championships at Randwick