1.57 seconds – it doesn’t sound like a lot but in racing it’s often referred to as ‘daylight’.
While it wasn’t a day for fast times at Randwick on Saturday, Winx showed she’s at her brilliant best in the Chipping Norton Stakes.
What Punters Intel data revealed about Winx is that 1.57 seconds is how much faster the champ’s last 600m was than any other horse in the 1600m race.
Runner-up Prized Icon clocked 36.39.
As it looked to the eye, Winx was clearly superior running 34.82 seconds for the last 600m but throttled down late for a leisurely 11.91 final 200m.
And as far as final 200ms go, her staying stablemates Libran (12.73) and Who Shot Thebarman (12.74) indicated their back as good as ever.
Promising gelding Osborne Bulls was one of the standout performers at Randwick with his best of the day last 600m of 34.10.
What was significant in that sectional was the 10.87 between the 400-200m the fastest of the day for a 200m split in their final 600m.
Also worth noting was the return of Lovani, running 34.33 for her last 600m while her final 200m of 11.88 was second only to No Interest (11.87) in the same race.
There were plenty of eye-catching performances in the Liverpool City Cup (1300m) and most eyes were on Egg Tart’s sectionals after the race.
The Group 1 winning mare ran the fastest last 600m of 34.32 for the race, and she was held up in the straight, and an equal quickest final 200m (with winner Crack Me Up) of 11.77.
She’s obviously returned in good order. Both McCreery and Interlocuter gained pass marks for their returns.
McCreery’s last 600m was run in 34.63 with an 11.97 final 200m while Interlocuter ran 34.90 and knocked up his last 200m with 12.32 suggesting he has improvement.
The two-year-old races looked hard work to the eye and the fillies ran slightly quicker time overall for the 1200m.
The Sweet Embrace winner Seabrook proved far too good with a 35.16 last 600m and a 12.06 final 200m and she did it covering more ground than any other runner in the race (+6.8m).
Spin’s effort in the Skyline had plenty of merit, he’s a maiden and was first-up against race fit opposition and went down narrowly running 35.48 last 600m and 12.55 final 200m, both best of the race.
Watch Punters Intel on Sky Thoroughbred Central, Tuesday at 7pm, with Gerard Middleton, Brad Davidson and Brad Gray.
Fastest last 600m: Osborne Bulls 34.10.
Most ground covered: Winx +14.7m