KEY POINTS:
Lance O'Sullivan won Saturday's $120,000 Matamata Breeders Stakes with Satinka with tactics meant to bring the hot favourite Crossyourheart undone.
As it turned out, they were not necessary.
O'Sullivan, five times a winner of the race as a jockey, instructed rider Mark Du Plessis to ride aggressively to take the initiative away from Crossyourheart.
"I told Mark to lead at all costs," said O'Sullivan.
"I told him that if Crossyourheart was allowed to lead, she would dictate and win.
"I said to lead in the first five strides - there's no point in trying to get the lead after 100m.
"I made sure I led in each of the times I won this race."
With Crossyourheart struggling, Satinka powered along in front and gave nothing else a chance.
She did the same when she won at Avondale at her previous start and O'Sullivan said his riding instructions to Chad Ormsby were partly to blame for the filly's eighth placing in stakes grade on debut at Ellerslie.
"This race was always her target," said O'Sullivan.
At $190,000, Satinka was not a cheap filly, but it's money well spent now.
Fifty per cent of the filly is owned in Hong Kong by Patrick Koo, 25 per cent by Sally Cameron, daughter of the late Kel Cameron, a longtime owner and racing administrator, and the remaining quarter by Liz Montgomery and various members of the O'Sullivan family.
The O'Sullivans include brother Paul and Lance's wife, Bridgette.
Paul O'Sullivan had intended going to the apartment of rival Hong Kong trainer Casper Fowne to watch the race on satellite television.
Plans for Satinka have yet to be finalised. They could include the Ford Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie, in which case Du Plessis would have to choose between The Pooka and Satinka.
