Make no mistake, lightly raced filly Unforgotten is a Group winner in the making.
The Chris Waller-trained three-year-old was arguably the star of the show at Rosehill on Saturday and the Punter’s Intel data gives an insight into just how smart she could be.
After settling last in her 1300m event, Unforgotten let go with a sharp turn of foot running 33.92 for the last 600m. From the 400m-200 she ran 11.14 and came home in 11.44 as she sailed past the leader.
Not surprisingly, she also covered more ground than any other runner (+9.1m).
As impressive as she was, Unforgotten didn’t produce the fastest last 600m of the day. That honour went to somewhat enigmatic galloper Ozark.
He was some 17m off the lead around the 600m but sprinted home in 33.37 and smashed the 11 second mark from the 400m-200m (10.86).
Stablemate Stunts showed for the second time that he possesses a big finish and it’s now time for him to show a bit more race sense early on.
The colt was some 15m off the winner Neutrality at the 300m and ran him to 5m with an 11.81 last 200m (only runner to break 12), a last 600m in 34.39.
The Highway Handicap runner-up Realing did quite a job to finish as close as he did after a slow start. His last 600m of 33.85 was outstanding and included a slick 11.01 for the 400m-200m.
Being first-up he just knocked up a bit late.
Any horse that can run 10.89 from the 400m-200m on the speed is going to be hard to run down and that was the story with Slow Burn.
To top that off the promising mare ran her last 200m in 11.29 and a last 600m of 33.82. You’d have to be Winx to have any chance of running a horse down over 1200m under those circumstances!
It’s worth noting that fourth-placed In Times Of War did finish slightly faster with a last 600m of 33.75 but was still safely held.
At Newcastle, the debut of the Team Hawkes filly Dawn Dawn is worth noting.
In her 1200m maiden, she was the only horse to break 35 for the last 600m running 34.57 and some nice final sectionals of 11.23 and 11.63 for the last 200m.
Fastest last 600m: Ozark 33.37
Most ground covered: Impavido (4th) +14.4m; Lord Kingsley (2nd) +12.7m.
The Punters Intel App is available for free via iTunes for apple devices and Google play for Android and from Racing NSW website for PC’s.