Racing: Sargent's drill means day to remember

Trainer John Sargent and co-owner Dionne McLaughlin lead Naturo back in after the filly's sprint to victory. Picture / Trish Dunnell

You would have made a fortune if you could have bottled the fun the syndicate owners had when Naturo swished past the field to win on Saturday.

Trainer John Sargent knew what winning the Matamata Breeders Stakes meant to his owners.

Racing's man for all moments wanted to lead his filly back in and the punches in the air and that broad smile as he did so showed exactly how one of New Zealand's best trainers felt.

Sargent, who has been back from Malaysia for a couple of years, is immensely proud of being part of the Matamata scene, and winning its biggest race was priceless.

And given Naturo's potential, the owners are in for more of the same.

This was a top-class field - Naturo did not receive any favours back on the rail beyond mid-field and had to cover more ground around the home turn than any other runner to get a crack at the leaders.

The winning effort to sweep past the opposition surprised even rider Jason Waddell - and he'd given up the ride on Kristov in the $100,000 Otaki Maori Weight-For-Age to stay north and ride Naturo.

"I knew she was good, but even I didn't think she could give them that much start and sprint past them.

"She copped a bit of a check mid-race.

"I had the option of staying in close and getting on Chant's back or pulling her to the outside.

"I knew if I could work her into the clear and give her one run at them it was her best chance."

Jockeys have to make those decisions early and in probably no more than a second and a half. As it transpired, Naturo would have had an easier run following Chant, who burst through a gap for Lisa Cropp at the 220m and looked certain to win. She would have given Naturo the perfect drag into the race.

Chant's dashing performance would have won nine of 10 Matamata Breeders Stakes - she was unlucky to meet an even classier act on the day.

Waddell, one of racing's best thinkers and currently riding as well as anyone, seemed in awe of Naturo.

"She's so relaxed.

"She got a little warm around at the start, but during the race she did whatever I asked.

"I hardly had to move on her to get her to go forward.

"It was a big call to get off a group-one winner from last start [Kristov], but it was clear in my mind that she's one of the best 2-year-olds I've put my leg over.

"It was a hard decision to tell Phil [Stevens] that I wasn't going south to ride Kristov, but I knew what I had to do."

Naturo was bred by Morrinsville's Andrew McLaughlin, a travelling groom for New Zealand Bloodstock's airfreight division.

McLaughlin syndicated the Postponed filly when she was passed in at $9000 at the yearling sales and races her with his wife, Dionne, brother Malcolm, nephew Scott and friends Barry Prosser and Barry Wright.

The syndicate members were so impressed with Naturo's debut win at Trentham in December they put together $100,000 to purchase the filly's half-brother by Don Eduardo at this month's Karaka sale.

Andrew McLaughlin had little time for celebrations - he flew out on a New Zealand Bloodstock horse flight at midnight on Saturday.

Evidence of Naturo's potential was there right from the start. Former jockey Danny Weatherley broke her in and knew two things from day one - Naturo was a coming star and one of the biggest maggots to work with he'd experienced.

"She was a right bitch - she just about wrecked our lunging ring.

"She was so bad no one else would ride her, so I had to get on her myself and I'm nearly 60.

"Right from the start she was the best-moving horse I've ridden."

That list includes the likes of Kiwi Can, one of the true stars of the 1970s both here and in Australia in an era of outstanding weight-for-age horses.

Longshot Trudy Tee, still a maiden, did well to finish third, just ahead of the favourite Italia.

"She felt a little tired," said rider Vinny Colgan of Italia.

Thoroughbred Racing's new chief executive, Paul Bittar, was at Matamata. He doesn't need a lesson in the thrills of winning a major race, or that the healthy future of racing will rely heavily on syndication, but if he did, this was the occasion to get it.

It further fuelled the enthusiasm of the filly's trainer. At the official birdcage presentation, Sargent walked up to the microphone and announced to the big crowd: "I won't hold you up because there's a big party tonight and you're all welcome."

You knew that save a few logistical problems to make that happen, Sargent meant it sincerely. He's that sort of bloke.

Verdict: despite suggesting she is even more of a 3-year-old type, Naturo is as good as any juvenile that has stepped out this season.

Who knows what the future holds for her.

$100,000 BREEDERS STAKES

* Locally trained Naturo overcame slight difficulties to win stylishly.

* The depth of the victory surprised even rider Jason Waddell, one of the filly's biggest fans.

* Trainer John Sargent had every right to be delighted with the filly's win in Matamata's biggest race of the year.