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Chris Waller’s patience might well deliver Gatsby’s a big win in the spring if his stunning return win in the Listed Rosebud (1100m) is any indication.

The three-year-old colt put on a dominant display from the second half of the field and his sectionals via Punter’s Intelligence reveal he clocked the meeting’s fastest last 600m of 33.48.

While the overall time was a tick slower than the Benchmark 78 won by Piastri over the same distance, the performance by Gatsby’s was one of a horse with plenty of upside.

Inside his 33.48 final 600m, he was the only horse in the Rosebud to break 11 seconds from the 400m-200m as he let down in 10.89 then was again fastest with an 11.41 final 200m.

If he heads to the Run To The Rose (1200m) next month we’ll get a firmer guide as to where he stands in the three-year-old picture.

Clear Proof has been a bit of a revelation in his short career to date and he backed up his upset debut win at $101 with his second behind Gatsby’s and his sectionals weren’t too far off the winner.

He posted a 33.56 final 600m and his last 200m was run 11.42. He’s bred to handle more ground and you’d imagine there’s some more improvement to come.

It was hard to miss the impressive debut of the $1.8m filly Autumn Glow as she beat some more experienced three-year-olds hands down over the 1300m.

She ran a 34.53 final 600m which was three lengths faster than the next best in the race so it’s no surprise her 400m-200m (11.41) and final 200m (11.70) were the race’s fastest.

The overall time was one second (six lengths) faster than the TAB Highway over the same trip which is encouraging and she has put her hand up as a possible Flight Stakes contender.

The return of Tom Kitten as a gelding held plenty of interest and you’d have to say he passed the test and earned respect for his campaign going forward.

The margin was comprehensive enough though the sectionals suggest there were other runs in the race that held merit.

‘Tom’ clocked 34.13 for his last 600m, which was the equal fastest of the race, and he put it away in the 400m-200m split running 11.12. His last 200m of 11.71 was second quickest.

When you consider there wasn’t a lot between basically the entire field from a sectional perspective the runner-up Amor Victorious did a good job to hold on for second despite his 35.02 final 600m being five lengths slower than the winner.

Another newly gelded four-year-old Ceolwulf matched the winner’s last 600m of 34.13 as he finished on to run sixth while Hinged clocked the fastest last 200m of 11.68 (34.38 last 600m).

A few more runs to note:

Lisztomania’s racing style isn’t helping but his last 600m of 34.66 was just outside the winner’s time and he did run the fastest 400m-200m (11.19) in that race so a Highway isn’t beyond him.

Thunderlips returned with an eye-catching fourth in the 1100m Benchmark 78, clocking the second fastest last 600m of 33.86 with a race best 11.44 last 200m.

Battleton didn’t get the gaps when he needed, unlike the winner Kazou, in his first-up assignment over 1200m but he still managed the second fastest last 600m of 34.02 without the chance to wind up.

Fastest last 600m: Gatsby’s 33.48

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