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Do we have a TAB Everest contender on our hands in the shape of Group 1 winning mare Joliestar after her Randwick demolition last weekend?

That’s up to trainer Chris Waller, her owners, and the partners in the Chris Waller Racing slot but she couldn’t have made a better case to take on the $20 million classic in October with her barnstorming, and very easy, Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) win.

A year ago Buenos Noches earned himself an Everest slot with an impressive first-up victory in the same race.

While it was reported by a few riders that the speed wasn’t hectic, Joliestar still ran a faster 1200m than any of the other races at that distance on the day.

She was about two lengths faster than World Alliance in the final race, around four lengths quicker than Well Timed in the Midway and about five lengths faster than Ameena in the Silver Shadow.

Punter’s Intelligence data recorded Joliestar clocked the meeting’s fastest last 600m of 32.71 in a race where it was clearly a sprint home.

Inside that time was a sizzling 10.48 from the 400m-200m and although James McDonald was giving her a pat with 50m to go and letting her coast her 11.18 final 200m was also the race’s best.

Democracy Manifest and Southport Tycoon finished fourth and fifth respectively in the Show County and sectionally, again while most broke 34 seconds for the final 600m, they’re worth remembering given their prowess over further than 1200m.

It was a 33.09 from both geldings as they hit the line strongly, Democracy Manifest’s 11.22 (second fastest of the race) last 200m was just 0.08 quicker than Southport Tycoon.

The Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) was also something of a sprint home given all but two of the 12 runners broke 34 seconds (Zougotcha’s sectionals weren’t available) and that adds merit to the win of Via Sistina.

She gave them a head start as we all expected and ran a 32.98 last 600m to get the job done including an 11.10 final 200m, setting up what could well be a big spring.

Fangirl didn’t disgrace herself despite being a beaten favourite and with a 32.99 last 600m the difference could come down to Kerrin McEvoy stealing runs through the field while Fangirl circled and covered an extra 3.7m compared to the winner.

She sprinted the best from the 600m-200m (21.72) but her last 200m was a length slower than the winner.

The staying types like Zardozi (33.67), Riff Rocket (33.13) and Buckaroo (33.31) plus Group 1 winner Atishu (33.11) all made pleasing returns with a view to longer races.

Erno’s Cube was one of the standouts in the Group 2 Darley Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) as she charged home from the back in a race best 33.68 for her last 600m.

She sprinted best from the 400m-200m in 10.79 and her last 200m of 11.48 was just 0.03 outside the fastest for the race run by the winner Ameena (11.45).

A few others of note:

Medatsu backed up his first-up win with another strong performance over the 1600m where he ran the fastest individual 200m splits from the 1000m to the finish. His last 600m of 34.47 was three lengths clear of the next best.

Palazzo Prince made a pleasing return in the TAB Highway clocking a race best 33.97 for his last 600m, running second.

Infancy’s sixth placing in the Toy Show was a little better than it looks, she made her run closer to the inside and ran a slick 33.08 for her last 600m.

Fastest last 600m: Joliestar 32.71

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