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The expectation going into the Apollo Stakes was that we’d get a preview of what’s to come for the autumn carnival and it didn’t disappoint.

Opinions will differ on who was the standout but it’s hard to deny Via Sistina as the real eye-catcher both from a visual and sectional perspective.

It wasn’t an overly fast run Apollo with Lindermann setting the pace so a sprint home was always on the cards, and the big guns all sprinted home nicely.

Punter’s Intelligence sectional data showed Via Sistina recorded the fastest last 200m of the Apollo in 10.98 while fourth placed Ceolwulf owned the fastest last 600m of 32.63.

There’s a bit to unpack in the comparison of the runs by two horses who will be seeing a lot of each other in the coming months.

Both racing position and suitability at 1400m saw Fangirl to advantage as she claimed back-to-back wins in the Group 2, putting the race away with a 10.53 from the 400m-200m inside her 32.67 final 600m. All honours to her.

Ceolwulf achieved most of his advantage in the last 600m between the 600m and 200m but his last 200m was a length slower than Via Sistina. Though the raw sectional shows only a 0.06 difference it’s the comparison between their individual last 200m times that’s significant.

Via Sistina only regressed by 0.29 from the 400m-200m to the final 200m while Ceolwulf regressed by 0.46 for the same two sections.

So the mare gets a points decision as the better first-up run but that doesn’t allow for how much improvement could be in the lighter raced gelding.

It sets up a fascinating return clash, likely between all three, in the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) on March 1.

For a race called the Expressway Stakes, the 1200m sprint was anything but and that led to some fast final sectionals with all six runners breaking 33 seconds.

Given she was a shade slow out and was held up until early in the straight the winner Magic Time should receive some extra points for getting the job done. No surprise she notched a slick last 600m of 32.15, just outside the fastest of the day by Olentia (32.14).

She did own the meeting’s fastest last 200m of 10.69.

There were three successive 1200m Group races at Randwick and of them the Expressway was easily the slowest – it was seven lengths slower than the Light Fingers and 15 lengths slower than the Triscay Stakes based on overall time.

The first 800m of the Apollo Stakes, run over 1400m, was only a length slower than the Expressway – and the Apollo was a length faster for the first 600m.

It’ll be interesting to see where Clear Thinking is pointed after the Triscay, her first run at Group level, where she clocked a slashing 32.88 last 600m, and 11.42 last 200m, to run home from last into second placing.

She’s the current favourite for the Evergreen Turf Country Championships Final and will start short if she goes to Tamworth in an attempt to qualify. But she’s also proven herself capable at stakes level.

Commemorative found herself back in the field in the same race and barrier one didn’t work in her favour when that happened. But she also stormed home running 33.16 for her last 600m.

Obviously, one of the performances of the day was from Lady Shenandoah as she made easy work of the Light Fingers Stakes and confirmed her standing as the horse to beat in the Surround when she gets to 1400m.

You’d almost go as far as to say nothing from the Light Fingers could turn the tables, barring bad luck.

She clocked 33.10 for her last 600m, and ran the fastest 400m-200m in 10.67 before throttling down late looking to have plenty in hand.

The fastest of the race was a bit of a hidden run by stablemate Amelita who posted 33.03 as she finished on to run sixth after being back near last on the turn.

Fastest last 600m: Olentia 32.14.

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