Latest News

Fangirl started the shortest priced favourite of the meeting at Rosehill and could only manage fourth in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) but, objectively, how do we assess her run?

Punter’s Intelligence sectionals would suggest the way the race was run she didn’t have much chance of winning, without an exceptional performance, after she was slowly away.

Mr Mozart led all the way and he led at a crawl, running his first 700m in 44.89 which was around nine lengths slower than Expat led the Coolmore Classic over the same distance and three lengths slower than the Ajax won by Just Folk.

From an overall time perspective the Phar Lap was five lengths slower than the Coolmore and a length and a half slower than the Ajax.

So it had to be a sprint home and midrace Fangirl was around 16m behind Mr Mozart.

She was basically left to chase the whole way, she ran the fastest 1000m-800m of 12.54, 800m-600m of 12.13, 0.01 outside the fastest 600m-400m (11.61), the fastest 400m-200m of 11.14 and knocked up the last 200m 11.81.

The winner was responsible for the fastest last 600m of the race, running 34.38, and when you lead and do that you’re not going to be beaten.

There’s a case to forgive Fangirl next time around.

Out of the Coolmore the obvious eye-catcher was Promise Of Success who charged from last on the turn into fourth with the race’s fastest last 600m of 35.26.

Unfortunately that was only a length faster than the winner Lighthouse who was in a striking position on the turn as opposed to going sideways to get to the outside.

Both Promise Of Success and third-placed Hinged ran 12.20 for their last 200m, the race’s fastest but again only a length quicker than Lighthouse so they could never win the race but ran as well as they could under the circumstances.

What can you say about Shelby Sixtysix? For the third week running this unassuming gelding has posted the meeting’s fastest last 600m and he’s now a Group 3 winner after his sizzling effort in the Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m).

Spaceboy set a solid enough tempo up front and Shelby Sixtysix seemed to relish it, combined with the heave ground, and ran 11.06 from the 600m-400m to put himself in an ominous position.

He cut back to the inside on the turn and ran 11.82 for his last 200m which was again the race’s best and proved he’s a superior wet tracker and in career best form. Whether he can do it again at Group 1 level in The Galaxy this weekend will be interesting.

The fillies again had the measure of the colts in the two-year-old features with She’s Extreme winning the Group 3 Magic Night (1200m) in a time six lengths faster than Rise Of The Masses ran to win the Group 3 Pago Pago (1200m).

It was fairly consistent throughout the two races, the first 600m in the Magic Night was run in 36.55 while the Pago Pago was 37.76 (about seven to eight lengths slower).

She’s Extreme was easily the fastest over the last 600m in the fillies race running 35.08, over two lengths faster than the next best which was fifth placed Yankee Hussel (35.48).

Out of the other races New Arrangement is just about ready to win a race after his effort in the Vale Alan Brown AM Handicap (1350m).

He resumed at 1400m so was back in trip and found himself back in the ruck again before running home in 35.40, a race best last 600m, into sixth placing. Watch for him to rise in trip next time around and if he can draw favourably he should be in the finish.

Fastest last 600m: Shelby Sixtysix 34.01

Watch Punter’s Intelligence with Ben Way, Brad Davidson and Brad Gray at 7pm on Tuesdays on Sky Thoroughbred Central.

Click here to download the Punter's Intelligence app