Turaath was no match for Marabi in Saturday’s Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m), but her performance did little to dampen Maddie Raymond’s enthusiasm for the campaign ahead.

The Warrnambool trainer reported on Sunday morning that the imported mare came through her third placing ‘really well’ and it was full steam ahead to the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield on February 12.

“She’s never won over 1200 metres in her life so to be there at weight-for-age level running third in a Group 2 over a distance that isn’t her best, we’re pretty excited for the next couple of runs,” Raymond said.

“We said if we ran top three that we would be going to the Orr knowing over 1400 back at Caulfield she can be up on the speed and make her own luck.

“That was going to be the target which we had her peaking for and knowing that she’d need a couple of runs under her belt so we’re definitely on track and relatively confident.”

The Australia Stakes followed a fifth placing in the Group 3 Standish Handicap on January 15, which have been her only two runs since completing a four-race winning streak in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) on September 11.

The daughter of Oasis Dream was never a threat to Marabi, who was eased down to score by 2-3/4 lengths, but Raymond thought she could have held eventual second placegetter Sinawann with a smoother run in transit.

“It got a little bit messy, we got knocked around a little bit and had to get going a bit sooner than what we expected but she’s a really tough, honest mare,” Raymond said of the five-year-old, who was ridden by Damian Lane.

“We probably could have run second if we didn’t have the interference, but we knew we were coming here today to run well with improvement in her next run.”

Sinawann leapt to $4 joint favouritism with I’m Thunderstruck in TAB’s Orr Stakes odds with Turaath occupying a place on the $15 line.