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Most attention going into the Christmas Eve meeting at Royal Randwick was on the clash between the Breeders’ Plate and Gimcrack Stakes winners Empire Of Japan and Platinum Jubilee.

There was merit in the runs of both youngsters but they were upstaged in the Drinkwise Plate (1100m) by Brad Widdup’s unassuming filly Fire Lane who overcame traffic and produced the meeting’s fastest last 200m of 11.35.

She had race fitness on her side and that strong last 200m saw her pick up Platinum Jubilee right on the line.

Expectations were high for Empire Of Japan and while he was beaten into third he clocked the race’s fastest last 600m of 33.81 and much of that was between the 600m-200m.

He ran 11.48 for his last 200m and all that suggests he’ll take plenty of improvement fitness wise.

Cathay Bracelet could be one to follow in something easier, she was last around the turn and clearly so but warmed up late with a 34.16 last 600m. That was third fastest of the race as was her last 200m of 11.53.

The query over the race is the overall time, the two-year-olds ran over three lengths slower than the TAB Highway over the 1100m a few races later.

The winners of the two 1200m races are well worth staying on the back of and they were Sunshine In Paris and Kalino.

Sunshine In Paris, trained by Annabel Neasham, had the advantage of carrying just 50kg as she sizzled home in the meeting’s fastest last 600m of 33.35 to win the Grainshaker Vodka Australia Handicap (1200m).

It was only her third start, however, and she sustained a long run to score bursting away. Her last 200m of 11.36 was almost two lengths faster than anything else in the race and she’s a filly with some promise.

Worth noting out of her race are the runs of Elettrica and Anagain, both trained by Joe Pride, who both clocked 11.64 for their last 200m with the latter posting the second fastest last 600m of 33.59.

The win of Kalino suggested he’s going to be in for a big preparation, given he’s proven up to a mile, particularly if the tracks stay dry.

He was dynamic winning the Furphy Handicap (1200m) first-up from a spell by a couple of lengths and in faster overall time than Sunshine In Paris.

The Chris Waller gelding ran 33.67 for his last 600m, he ran 10.93 from the 400m-200m and a last 200m of 11.38 and the latter over a length faster than his rivals.

Import Touristic shapes as a coming winner after showing nice improvement in his second run for the Snowden stable in the Bisley Workwear Handicap (1800m).

After turning at the tail he ran home in a race best 34.67 for his last 600m, and he was the fastest in the race for each split between the 800m and 200m. So he’ll be even fitter next time around where he should run the best race of his prep.

Fastest last 600m: Sunshine In Paris 33.35

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