Racing: Filly keeps something in reserve

Cameron Lammas has not conceded the $275,000 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas to Naturo just yet.

Lammas and Imananabaa downed Naturo by just a neck in yesterday's $50,000 James and Annie Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa, most assuming the wet track brought the $1.70 favourite undone.

But Lammas feels Imananabaa will be just as competitive when the two class fillies meet again at Riccarton next start.

Naturo fought bravely to nearly pick up Imananabaa and looked to be battling the tricky conditions to do it, but Lammas said had Naturo actually drawn alongside the winner, his filly would have found more.

"I heard one coming and I was certain it was Naturo, I was waiting for her," said Lammas.

"The winning post seemed harder and harder to get to, but my filly pricked her ears a couple of times and she'd have got going again if she'd been headed."

It was the fifth time in 10 years Jim Gibbs has produced the winner of the race and he has done a wonderful job of moulding the difficult Imananabaa, a $300,000 purchase by ARC directors Alister Sutherland and Peter Walker and Sir Patrick Hogan.

Lammas rides her in all her work and said that although she has been difficult at times, she is one of his favourite horses.

"She settled better today than she ever has. Normally she's charging and running off on the bends, but she was much better today."

Lammas was due to fly to Melbourne today to ride another stable member Kerry O'Reilly in tomorrow's A$150,000 ($170,000) Geelong Cup (2400m) as a final lead-up to the A$5 million Melbourne Cup.

Kerry O'Reilly is not a good traveller, but is apparently starting to settle in well after an ordinary start to his Australian preparation.

"He's got to be a chance in this race after his Kelt Capital effort," said Lammas.

Trainer John Sargent and rider Opie Bosson were delighted with the performance of Naturo.

Sargent had been worried about the possibility of a wet track for the long-striding filly and the extremely heavy shower just before the race did nothing for his confidence.

His main concern was a gut-busting effort that would take the edge off Naturo for the 1000 Guineas.

Bosson felt a few little things went against Naturo.

"I couldn't track into the race like I wanted to. I tried between two horses, but then had to switch around them.

"I thought she'd win at the 200m, but the other filly fought really well.

"When the leader gets a break on you in these conditions on this track they're hard to pull back if they're rolling forward well and handling the track."

Sargent was smiling. "That's what I wanted to see."

Chant turned in a top effort to finish third without the advantage of previous racing this campaign the two in front of her had enjoyed.

* Zabeat didn't win at Te Rapa yesterday, but he showed he was on track for a crack at the Melbourne Cup.

The Ruakaka stayer struggled in the going, but only just failed to hold out a more seasoned Figure Of Speech.

It was veteran rider Noel Harris getting the better of son Troy on Zabeat.

Co-trainer Dean Logan knew the stable was on track for the Flemington feature straight after the race.

"When it looked like the track was going to be good, I thought he had to win today," said Logan.

"But then when it rained I was sure he couldn't be in it. I'm delighted with what he did."