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It’s always a good sign when two or three-year-olds run faster time than the older horses so this bodes well for the form out of the Petaluma Handicap (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday won by Silent Impact.

Given there’s a potential Australian Derby campaign in the offing for the gelding, who is certainly bred to run at least 2000m, to see Silent Impact so sharp at the start of his preparation is promising.

Punter’s Intelligence sectional data showed he charged home in 33.46 for his last 600m to win first-up with a race best final 200m of 11.70.

The overall time of 1:03.53 was a length faster than the Benchmark 78 won later in the day by Shadow Crush and the three-year-olds were quicker from the get go.

Considering the tempo the performance of runner-up Capital Reign was gutsy, he ran the first 500m in 28.82 which was a length faster than Shadow Crush’s race and was still there at the finish even with a final 600m of 34.45 – six lengths slower than the winner.

The run of Spellcatcher was hard to miss and he also had a hard luck story. The Kris Lees-trained gelding clocked the meeting’s fastest last 600m of 33.33 but his last 200m was only the second fastest and that’s because he was impeded by a wayward horse.

He was clearly the fastest from the 400m-200m (10.76) but only second quickest over the final 200m (11.76) due to that traffic. He’s clearly measured up and it’ll be interesting to see what he produces next time.

There was no shortage of handy performances in the Heineken 3 Handicap (1000m) for the two-year-olds with Godolphin filly Plymstock coming out on top.

She clocked a last 600m of 33.77 as she rounded them up from the back. That time was matched by third placed Emperor who might have just knocked up late as he ran a race best 10.71 from the 400m-200m but his last 200m of 11.80 was six lengths slower.

He’s headed to the $2m Inglis Millennium (1100m) and will be much better for this run.

It was hard to miss the late finish by Wild Calm who went back to last from a wide gate and was only getting warm late running the fastest last 600m of 33.54 and last 200m of 11.55.

It’s been well documented that this race has been previously won by Stay Inside and Estijaab, Golden Slipper winners in their year, so there's no telling where these youngsters may end up.

Once again Through The Cracks produced a booming last 600m in the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m) but it wasn’t enough to get him home in front.

The gelding ran 33.38, just outside the best of the day, into second place behind Special Reward and as fast as his finish was you’d have to think after two runs from over a year off he should arrive at his next task at a peak.

He clocked 10.84 from the 400m-200m, a length faster than anything else, while his last 200m of 11.53 was a half length off the race best.

Take nothing away from Special Reward, though, he’s run 33.96 for his last 600m and 11.51 for his last 200m and is clearly racing in super form.

No Compromise showed he’s in for a big preparation with a slashing third behind that pair at what was his first start for Chris Waller below 2000m.

He’s run a 33.70 for his last 600m and his last 200m of 11.45 was the fastest of the meeting. Whether he can reproduce it second-up remains to be seen but once he gets to 2000m and beyond he should be a real force.

Fastest last 600m: Spellcatcher 33.33

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