KEY POINTS:
John Sargent has had two major disappointments since being back in New Zealand: losing Naturo and jockey Jason Waddell in the same season.
The injured Naturo is in the broodmare paddock and when Waddell, a few months ago, once again approached Sargent for help to get his weight under control and make a comeback, the Matamata trainer made an instant decision.
You couldn't wipe the smile from Sargent's face as he watched Waddell bring Lovetrista back to scale after winning the $55,000 Cambridge Stud Soliloquy Stakes at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Sargent has equal amounts of pride for both. and with some justification - Lovetrista and Waddell are joined at the hip.
Very rarely would you see a 3-year-old of Lovetrista's inexperience - she'd had just one previous start - settle and relax beautifully sitting outside the leader in a field with more experienced horses.
Waddell is the key to that.
The rare horsemanship talent that Sargent missed for more than a year spent three months getting the magnificently bred Lovetrista to the point where she is foolproof.
Unless he has been away from Matamata, Waddell will not allow anyone else on Lovetrista's back.
"I've put a huge amount of time teaching this filly," said a delighted but flu-ridden Waddell after the race.
It's time well spent - Naturo could have proved to be outstanding if she hadn't broken down hopelessly in the 1000 Guineas, and Waddell considers Lovetrista as good.
He was supremely confident the filly would win on Saturday, despite the class of the opposition.
"Naturo was fabulous, but this filly is as good - she's completely untapped. You don't know how good she might get. She wasn't stretched today."
Waddell, now four wins into his comeback, said he would not be scared of taking on Diamond Deck, a massive winner at Hastings the previous weekend and favourite for the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on November 10.
Where Diamond Deck has had the benefit of a trip to Queensland during the winter - experience which "makes" younger horses, Lovetrista has it all before her in terms of natural improvement.
Sargent had wanted to kick Lovetrista's career off as a juvenile last season but a virus delayed that.
Sargent reiterated that the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton was Lovetrista's aim, but he said he had a couple of options on what race he would use as a lead-up to Christchurch.
Only businessman Graeme Jackson was at Ellerslie to represent the winning ownership - fellow owners Sir Patrick Hogan, NZ Rugby Board chairman Jock Hobbs and NZ Thoroughbred Racing chairman Guy Sargent are all in France for the World Cup.
Keepa Cruisin made the pace and kicked strongly on the home turn with Lovetrista before holding on for second, ahead of Boundless.
As she had when winning the Champagne Stakes in the old season, Valpolicella gave the impression she will be a force when the filly's races get beyond 1600m.
She did not sprint with quite the same dash as the first two but made ground steadily into fourth.
Much was expected from dashing Ruakaka debut winner Double Or Nothin, and although she was 3.7 lengths behind the winner she was not a total disappointment.
"She didn't jump away as cleanly as I expected," said rider Mark Du Plessis, "then we copped a bad check at the 1200m."
Troy Harris was suspended for five racedays and fined $500 for that interference.
"After she got checked she started pulling hard, probably through inexperience, but even after all that she didn't quite kick home as hard as I thought she might."
Trainer Frank Ritchie said Double Or Nothin had come through the race surprisingly well.
"I'm not sure where we'll go next - it could be in the Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa on Labour Day, although that looks like being a very strong race."
