Japanese raider Obamburumai stole the show at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday after he showed a powerful finish to claim the feature $10m Golden Eagle (1500m).
The race was run at a slow pace with leader Golden Mile controlling the tempo, and Punter's Intelligence recorded he ran the first 900m in 55.30.
To put that into perspective, for that section, it was approximately 11.5 lengths slower than the Canadian Club Handicap (1500m) and 3 lengths inferior to the Four Pillars Midway (1500).
However, all the merit was in the back end of the clock, and the race can be bonused.
Obamburumai was in an awkward spot prior to the turn, but jockey Josh Parr showed great patience, and once a gap appeared, the four-year-old showed an electric turn of foot.
His final 600m/400m/200m splits were 33.22/21.68/10.86. Further, his final 200m was the fastest of the entire meeting and approximately 1 length superior to the next best.
Pericles had every chance but was honest in defeat and showed a turn-off foot between the 400m-200m running that split in 10.96.
Strait Acer has gone from strength to strength this campaign and went to a new level again.
He sat wide, albeit with cover, and clocked a solid 33.58 for his final 600m.
Vienna Princess is another improver, and she was checked/blocked at a critical stage, but once clear, she hit the line well and recorded the equal third-fastest final 200m in 11.11.
Ruthless Dame's effort had sectional merit, and she ran the race's quickest 600m-200m split in 22.23 before peaking on her run after exerting all her energy.
Legarto was the hidden run of the race, and her effort was much better than the form guide will read.
The mare was slow to begin, had excuses throughout the transit and also the race shape against.
To her credit, she had made her run through the inferior ground and flew home, running the meeting second fastest final 200m in 11.03.
Forget Amelia's Jewel run where she was severely checked.
I'mintowin was making his Australian debut in the Candian Club Benchmark 78 Handicap, and he defied a savage betting drift to score.
The NZ import led at a fast pace and ran his rivals ragged, running 1:28.53 for his overall time.
Moreover, that was approximately 7.5 lengths quicker than The Four Pillars Midway (1500m) and 4.5 faster than The Golden Eagle (1500m).
Follow him, and he can only improve off that performance.
Junqueira was one of the day's runs after multiple factors were not in her favour in the Benchmark 78 event over 1200m.
The mare had the pace/bias against her and had to make a long-wide sustained sprint and clocked the fourth fastest final 600m split of the meeting in 33.40. She is ready to peak third-up.
Leandra also comes through that event and was first-up. She looks set for a strong campaign and ran the race's fastest final 200 in 11.18.
It's worth noting Sky Lab and No Compromise who both had no luck in the Rosehill Gold Cup (2000m) but still ran slick closing splits.
Although held up for the majority of the final furlong, Sky Lab still clocked the eighth-fastest last 200m of the meeting in 11.15.
Fastest last 600m: Private Eye 33.13
Watch Punter’s Intelligence with Ben Way, Brad Gray and Nick Berney at 7pm on Tuesdays on Sky Thoroughbred Central.