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Race fitness came to the fore in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m), where the top four placegetters had all had a run this preparation and winner Hard Empire defied the market.

The nine-year-old was second-up, and jockey Rachel King rode the gelding to perfection. Further, she let him find his feet early and build into his rhythm before navigating him to the superior ground to unleash a sprint.

Punter’s Intelligence recorded he ran one of the fastest final 600m splits of the entire meeting in 33.87 and maintained a strong finishing speed to the line.

Enchanted Heart had too much to do after settling at the rear of the field and had to make a long-wide sustained run. She ran the entire meeting’s quickest 600m-200m split in 21.89.

She is a mare in form and suited back to a wet/testing track where she produces all her career peak figures.

Count De Rupee was solid fresh and ran the race’s third fastest last 600m sectional in 34.09. He will be fitter for that and is suited to drier tracks.

Hilal ran his final 200m split in 11.96 and Special Reward did his best work past the post running his final 200m sectional in 11.93. Look for them over a further distance.

NZ import Lord Ardmore confirmed he had come back improved, and this preparation could be the making of him after another decisive win in the Premiers Cup Prelude (1800m).

He ran a fast overall time in 1:51.56, approximately 7.5 lengths faster than the TAB Highway Plate (1800m) and 8 lengths quicker than the Midway Handicap (1800m). In addition, even after adjusting for age, class and additional factors, this race rated the highest relative to the day.

Yiyi was stepping up sharply in trip 1400m-1800m and was outstanding in defeat in a race dominated by the on-pace runners.

The Chris Waller trained gelding got too far back in the run but hit the line hard, running the race clear best last 400m/200m splits in 22.86/11.62. Watch for him down in grade.

Francesco Guardi is in career-best form and clocked an 11.18 in the inferior ground between the 600m-400m mark. He is another one suited back to Benchmark level.

Arguably the run of the day was Grace And Harmony, who returned in fantastic order after narrowly being beaten in the Bisley Workwear Handicap (1300m).

The five-year-old mare carried a hefty weight and was unsuited by the tempo of the race, settling worse than midfield in a very slow pace.

She rocketed down the centre of the track running the fastest final 400m/200m splits of the meeting in 22.34/11.35 and savaged the line to miss in a tight finish. Follow her over further distance.

Daralina Belle ran the race quickest 400m-200m split in 10.93 and Niffler was just a tick behind in 10.94.

Maotai was ridden with cover to save his energy, and he showed late strength to score in the BM 78 Handicap (1000m) and ran his final 200m in 11.51.

Quick Tempo’s run was full of merit after being checked/blocked at a critical stage and forced to sprint in the inferior ground over the concluding stages. Moreover, he still ran the race’s fastest final 600m/400m/200m sectionals in 33.62/22.46/11.51.

Fastest last 600m: Quick Tempo 33.62

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