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The performance by Harmony Rose to hold on and run second, let alone be run down in the last 100m, in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) was enormous when you look at the comparisons between the fillies feature and the older horses over the same trip.

And compared to those fillies who tried to go with her.

Punter’s Intelligence sectional data showed Harmony Rose ran the first 1000m of the Vinery in 1:00.37, about 17 lengths faster than Shared Ambition’s first 1000m (1:03.05) in the Neville Sellwood and 19 lengths faster than Yaletown (1:03.54) in the Tulloch Stakes.

Not surprisingly, Shared Ambition was able to sprint home in 33.73 for his last 600m, Yaletown in 35.32 for his last 600m while Harmony Rose ran 37.38.

A look at the horses that tried to go with the early pace in the Vinery highlights Harmony Rose’s effort.

Elizabeel sat second and finished eighth, Miravalle was third in the run and finished last (though pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia) and Personal was fourth and could only manage seventh, none of them breaking 38 seconds for their last 600m.

Hungry Heart of course dashed home from last to claim the Group 1 running 36.34 for her last 600m (a full six lengths faster), clocking 11.93 (600m-400m) then 11.96 (400m-200m) and 12.45 last 200m. Harmony Rose’s splits were 12.02, 12.53 and a last 200m of 12.83 so her run was brave.

There were some nice Sydney Cup trials in the Group 1 Kia Tancred Stakes (2400m) won by Sir Dragonet whose dominance was underlined by posting the race’s fastest last 600m of 35.11. He put the race away running 11.50 from the 400m-200m, also the race’s best.

Whether he can defeat the likes of Addeybb and Verry Elleegant when they meet again in the Group 1 Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on April 17 remains to be seen but he goes there off an impressive, and confidence boosting, win.

Behind him both She’s Ideel and Miami Bound showed they are on target for the two miles of the Schweppes Sydney Cup on the same day.

The two mares raced near the tail and were unsuited at weight-for-age against a horse like Sir Dragonet. She’s Ideel ran home in 35.14, second fastest in the race, while Miami Bound clocked 35.18 including the race’s fastest last 200m of 11.91.

Miami Bound is weighted on 51.5kg in the Sydney Cup while She’s Ideel has 50kg.

There were a number of eye-catching runs on a day it was largely hard to make up ground.

Two-year-old filly Gin Martini blew the start in the Group 3 Schweppervescence (1400m) but charged at the line running a race best 34.70 last 600m and last 200m of 11.60 which was a length faster than the next best.

Godolphin sprinter Deprive has been known to reel off some slick sectionals and in finishing a close up seventh in the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m) he posted the meeting’s fastest last 600m of 33.30 and the second fastest last 200m of the day (11.39).

Interestingly, the stayer Paths Of Glory clocked the meeting’s fastest last 200m (11.34) as he ran eighth behind Shared Ambition and he also owned the Neville Sellwood’s fastest last 600m (33.53).

Icebath is best known for her wet track prowess but her fourth in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m) showed she’s racing in super form and if she gets some give in the track come the Group 1 Coolmore Legacy she can be a force.

She clocked 33.81 for her last 600m, almost a length faster than the next best, including 11.01 (600m-400m) and 11.09 (400m-200m) and the race’s second fastest last 200m (11.71).

Once again Nudge put in race best sectionals as she ran into third in the Cleanaway Handicap (1400m) in 34.08 (three lengths faster than next best) and 11.70 for her last 200m (again quicker by almost three lengths).

Fastest last 600m: Deprive 33.30.

Watch Punter’s Intelligence with Ben Way, Brad Davidson and Brad Gray at 7pm on Tuesday on Sky Thoroughbred Central.

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