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By Ray Hickson

Trainer John Sargent is quietly confident the combination of blinkers and a wet track will be more than enough to put French Ruler into next month’s $1m Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championships Final via Thursday's Wild Card at Wyong.

The three-year-old was expected by the Randwick trainer to tick off his qualification in the Newcastle heat won by Matcha Latte on March 20 but he felt the firm track played against the horse.

So on the advice of jockey Kerrin McEvoy, Sargent has made a gear change and feels the 1350m around Wyong will not be an issue given the likely conditions.

“Kerrin McEvoy said after Newcastle that he felt the track was a bit hard and that he needs blinkers,’’ Sargent said.

Trainer John Sargent (Pic: Bradley Photos).

“That might be the ace up our sleeve.

“I thought he would qualify through Newcastle, I wasn’t going to back up but we have two weeks after this so it's quite good.

“He’ll go in there with a live chance and a very fit horse. If he can get to the Final it’s a different story at Randwick where he runs well.”

French Ruler, $5 with TAB on Friday, ran a close second behind Snow In May in the Listed Canberra Guineas two starts ago and his two heavy track runs resulted in a second early in his career and a close fifth in the Group 2 Sandown Guineas.

Stablemate Harlow Mist hasn’t had the best fortune as she’d tried to earn a spot in the Final and Sargent said she will be aided by rain affected ground.

The mare tackled the first qualifying race at Hawkesbury and had little luck then finished midfield behind Matcha Latte in the same race as French Ruler.

“She couldn’t get out at Hawkesbury and she found the race a bit sharp for her at Newcastle on that track,’’ he said.

“Rain about will help, she’s probably more a miler but it would suit if it was wet.”

Meanwhile, Sargent hopes the blinkers and step up in trip will be the key to switching Powers Of Opal back on in the Group 1 $750,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Tuesday.

She’s finished runner-up in both clashes with the boom filly Treasurethe Moment, back in the spring, and Sargent said her work on Tuesday with the blinkers on was promising.

“Most Ocean Parks wear them, we’ll probably ride her a bit closer,’’ he said.

“She’s at her peak now at this distance and hopefully we can get closer to the Melbourne filly.

“A sit and sprint didn’t help last start but Saturday will tell us where we are. Hopefully she will be on track for two weeks later in the Oaks.

“She hasn’t missed a beat that’s the main thing, she will go in there a happy horse.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Wyong meeting