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There’s no other way to describe the effort of I Am Serious in defeat in Rosehill Gardens on Saturday than to say it was a monstrous performance.

Set an huge task after going back from the outside barrier, the talented mare conceded her rivals almost 23m with 1000m to run and while she posted the fastest splits for four of the last five 200m sections that head start proved beyond her – just.

Punters Intel data reveals I Am Serious was the only horse in the 1500m event to break 34 seconds for the last 600m, running 33.73 which is 0.36 seconds faster than any other horse.

She was the shortest priced favourite on the day at Rosehill and the one a lot of punters pinned their faith on as an anchor. But the PI data shows she’s flying and is set to atone next time around.

It’s worth keeping an eye on her stablemate Monasterio, who ran eighth in the same event, going forward.

The four-year-old was a first-up winner over a mile but dropped 100m into Saturday’s race and did his chances plenty of harm by bombing the start.

He was then held up for most of the straight and went to the line untested – under the circumstances his last 600m of 34.38 is respectable. Watch out for him next time too.

Special Missile has tried the patience of punters this preparation but Punters Intel data paints an interesting picture of his defeat in the Octagonal Handicap (1400m).

It’s the first half of the race that tells the story as the gelding engaged in a three horse war on the pace with Crafty Cop and Moher.

Strangely, all three horses ran 11.38 for the 1200m-1000m as they battled for the lead and the early effort told on the latter pair as Special Missile kept kicking. Running 34.99 for his last 600m.

Crafty Cop finished 12m astern of Special Missile while Moher was a further 16m back so there’s a case to be made that Special Missile’s effort was forgivable after being pestered up front.

Two-year-old debutant Diplomatico set connections back $1.7 million so there was plenty riding on his first outing and he certainly stuck his hand up.

Despite having no idea at all what he was doing until he last 200m, he managed to run the fastest final 600m of 33.87 and came home in 11.05 and 11.00.

It’s a positive sign when a horse, particularly one on debut, can run a faster final 200m than the preceding sectional.

The TAB Highway (1400m) was dominated from the front by Radiant Choice but the flashing light was on third-placed Haames who ran easily the fastest last 600m of the race and was actually the fastest for the final four 200m splits.

He spotted the winner 20m at the 800m mark and ran that margin to 4m on the line with a 34.51 final 600m, one of only two horses (the other runner-up Hemmerle 34.89) to break 35 seconds.

There was also merit in run of Chalmers in the 1500m three-year-old event. Coming off a Newcastle BM60 win he ran the fastest last 400m of the race (22.73) behind all the way winner Gresham who’d had a picnic in the lead and sprinted home in 34.24.

Chalmers was only a tick behind him with 34.33 for his last 600m and he can win one in town over the winter months.

Fastest last 600m: Argent D’Or 33.19

Most ground covered (to place): Invinzabeel +10.1m.

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