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January is still considered the ‘off-season’ but it’s clear Gary Portelli’s emerging filly Fireburn is entitled to be tried against ‘better company’ after another strong performance to win at Kensington on Saturday.

Just as it was in her win two weeks earlier, Punter’s Intelligence sectional data showed Fireburn easily posted the fastest last 600m (34.70) to win the Ranvet Handicap (1150m). That time was two lengths faster than any of her rivals.

She sustained a long run as she settled in the second half of the field but once she worked to outside coming to the turn that’s where her quality showed.

A 400m-200m of 11.23 was also the fastest of the race and her last 200m of 11.86 again a race best, both by around half a length.

The winner of the corresponding race last year was Four Moves Ahead and she trained on to contest the Golden Slipper and was a Group winner last spring, so it’ll be interesting to see where Fireburn heads.

There were a few runs behind her worth noting including the runner-up Revolutionary Miss. Her run screamed a filly that will excel over more ground.

While her last 600m was 35.19, only fourth best, she was strongest in the last 200m and was the only other horse to break 12 seconds for that section (11.93).

Wild Irish Rover clocked the second fastest last 600m of 35.05 after settling last while Sibylla ran 35.18 for her last 600m, the last 200m of 12.19 suggesting she just knocked up late.

Promising three-year-old Dragonstone also earned the right to head into the autumn with a sweeping win in the Schweppes Handicap (1000m) where he posted the meeting’s fastest last 600m of 33.39.

Given where he settled he had to make a long run to win, aided by a reasonable tempo up front, and it was in the final 400m where he asserted his authority.

He ran the 400m-200m in 10.89, just under a length faster than next best, and a last 200m in 11.75.

The hidden run out of the race was Fastconi, who finished second last but was only a length slower than Dragonstone with his last 600m of 33.55. He couldn’t keep up early over the 1000m but his run was excellent and look out for him over 1200m soon.

I Am Lethal is a horse on the rise and his easy win in the Petaluma Handicap (1300m) was as powerful on the clock as it looked to the eye.

His last 600m was 34.36 at that time is four lengths faster than the next best, he was also the only horse to break 12 seconds for the final 200m (11.96).

From an overall time perspective he stopped the clock at 1:17.03 which was almost three lengths faster than the older horses ran in the Sharp Extensive IT Handicap over the 1300m so that augers well for his future.

Irish Angel is worth sticking with after her fourth in the Agency Real Estate Handicap (1100m), particularly if she happens to strike a wet track.

The overall time was slower than the Midway Handicap over the same trip so it was going to be impossible for her to win given the winner Moonshine Lady led and had things quite cheap up front.

The mare ran a last 600m of 33.87, the only horse to break 34 in the race. It tells us she’s flying and just needs a race run to suit and/or a wet track to win again.

And out of the Midway it will surprise nobody that Key Largo clocked the fastest last 600m of 34.10 and he did that despite climbing all over their backs in the run home.

He was working into the race well running 10.62, the fastest from the 600m-400m, but saw plenty of rump steak from that point illustrated by his 11.34 (400m-200m) and last 200m of 12.14.

The latter was only 0.03 outside the race’s best. Unfortunately Key Largo’s racing pattern is going to cost him more races than it wins him but if the breaks go his way he’s racing well enough to win one.

Fastest last 600m: Dragonstone 33.39

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