A lot will be said about the stark difference in the sectional times run by impressive Randwick winners Accredited and Perfumist so it’s worth looking at the context.
Both tackled the 1400m and ultimately stopped the clock within 0.13 of each other but underneath that Punter’s Intelligence revealed just how different the two races were.
Accredited ran an overall faster time in completing a hat-trick but if you look at his last 600m sectional of 35.29, against Perfumist’s best of the meeting 33.92 in the following race, you’d think they were racing uphill.
That’s because the first 600m of his race was run 10 lengths quicker (aided by some jostling for early supremacy), in 35.68, than Perfumist who had a picnic in the lead with a 37.08 first 600m.
If you extend it to the first 800m then it was 47.17 vs 48.86 – and that’s 14 lengths faster.
The Joe Pride trained gelding proved clearly superior as he broke away late running about five lengths faster than his rivals for that last 600m and you’d imagine is headed for stakes company.
Take nothing away from Perfumist’s win, she was handed control of the race and her opposition paid the price – she didn’t run home significantly faster than the chasers (just over a length better than the runner-up) as the damage was done early.
Interestingly, and another illustration of the race shape, all nine mares in Perfumist’s race ran a faster last 600m than Accredited. It's also worth noting there was a headwind in play for much of the day which kept the times in check.
Disneck continued his love affair with the Randwick 1200m as he again asserted some authority rounding up his five rivals with ease from the back.
It wasn’t quite the remarkable performance of a week earlier but that turn of foot was again on show as he ran 34.48 for his last 600m including a pretty sharp 11.20 (600m-400m) and 11.12 (400m-200m) before the breeze started to take its toll in his 12.16 final 200m.
That last 200m was almost two lengths faster than the next best (Gravina 12.43) and his last 600m was just shy of four lengths quicker. He’s a horse in the zone, just a shame there’s not another Randwick 1200m coming up for him in the short term.
Kris Lees may have a promising two-year-old on his hands in the shape of Rivellino who proved quite a dominant debut winner over the 1000m.
The colt has a bit to learn as he ran about quite noticeably while chasing the leader in the early part of the straight but he flattened out nicely to run a 34.11 final 600m, about 2-1/2 lengths faster than the next best.
He dashed sharply from the 400m-200m in 11.12 and he was the only youngster to break 12 seconds for his last 200m (11.97). A promising debut, with upside, and he could be a contender for next month’s $2m Inglis Millennium.
A few others to note and potentially forgive:
Sly Boots notched the fastest last 200m as he ran third behind Autumnmation, running 11.69, as he rallied late after being outsprinted.
Boston Rocks found himself back in field and, while never a winning chance, under the circumstances his race best last 600m of 34.05 says there was a little more merit than to the eye.
Can Vega Magnifico back up what was a form reversal on what we’ve seen from him previously, he ran 34.43 for his last 600m and 11.73 for the last 200m, as he swept home from last to win.
Fastest last 600m: Perfumist 33.92
Watch Punter’s Intelligence at 7pm on Tuesdays on Sky Thoroughbred Central.