Best Still To Come For Natsinga (March 7 2010)

Natsinga trounced a number of Auckland Cup hopefuls at Ellerslie but they won't have to contend with him in next Wednesday's Gr 1 event. The $1 million feature doesn't figure in trainer Michael Manson's immediate plans but he is confident the five-year-old will be up to the challenge in the future.

"He wasn't even nominated for the Cup but there's always next year," he said. Natsinga has thrived since transferring to his Ruakaka stable and on Saturday produced an undeniable finish to win the Nathan's Memorial.

Bred and sold by WS for $47,500 at Karaka in 2006, Natsinga has now fashioned the impressive record of four wins and 16 placings from his 27 appearances. "He deserved to win a good one and was unlucky here (three runs back) when he clipped heels at the 600 and got going again for third behind Chettak," Manson said.

Rider Cameron Lammas also showed his faith in the gelding by turning down a full book of rides at the Hawke's Bay meeting to continue his association with the horse. "He loves the track and he'd been set for the race for a while," he said. "He's still a bit immature and next year really might be his year."

Natsinga is by former WS resident Danasinga out of the Racing Is Fun mare Nat The Brat. She won nine races including the Cornwall Handicap and the Rotorua Cup at Gr 3 level and hails from the family of four-time Gr 1 winner and sire Vite Cheval (Ellerslie Sires' Produce Stakes, All Aged Stakes, Doncaster Handicap, Futurity Stakes).