The market said the DMB Contracting Maiden Plate at Geelong was a three-horse race and so it proved.
The Peter Moody-trained Nanagui was sent out the $2.50 favourite and duly saluted under Jamie Kah but not after Miss Subtly ($2.60) put up stubborn opposition with Lambda ($6) close up in third place.
Such was the domination of the trio in the market, the fourth favourite, Innocent Moves, was sent out an $18 chance.
There was a feeling prior to the race that the maiden race for three-year-old fillies was going to be an above average contest that may lead to an eventual start in a Group race during the spring carnival.
A $450,000 purchase, Nanagui entered Wednesday’s race having finished runner-up in three stakes races at her first campaign.
Moody believes there is a good win coming from Nanagui, but he may have to wait for the autumn.
“She’s only a light little filly, so we’ll have to pick our mark carefully,” Moody said.
“Whether she gets two, three, four runs, I don’t know.
“She looks like a filly that is going to develop as the spring goes on and it will depend on whether she stays strong enough to sustain the training.
“You go home after each run and look at them. She might surprise us and thrive on the racing, but I’m open-minded at the moment.”
Kah partnered Nanagui during her initial campaign, finishing second to Crosswinds in the Listed St Albans Stakes (1200m) at The Valley in March.
The jockey said Nanagui had matured and was a lot stronger in the four months since she lost rode the daughter of Sebring under race conditions.
“She was a small little thing the last time I rode her,” Kah said.
“She’s matured and has got a lot stronger. Maybe they can pick out some nice races for her.
“She’s obviously got talent and she will improve off that win as her fitness really peaked on the line.”
