Dothraki has returned in good order with a narrow victory in the Listed City Tatts Club Lightning (1100m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Settling off the leaders in fourth, the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained runner was able to wear down the leader over the concluding stages to score a narrow win over That’s A Good Idea in second with Artlee third.
Dothraki returned a career peak Timeform rating of 119, five pounds above his Group 3 win last campaign in the Anniversary Stakes (1200m).
The Racing and Sports Field Strength Value (RSFS) indicate it was above par for a listed race and probably somewhere between that of a Group 2/3 race.
The five-year-old gelding is the highest rated winner of the Lightning since Shogun Lodge in 2003 (120), running one pound higher than 2014 winner Deep Field (118p).
Completing the 1100m trip in 1:02.44, last 600m in 33.67, the Racing and Sports sectional splits show it was run exactly at race par.
Dothraki is likely to follow the same path as Deep Field who went on to win the Linlithgow Stakes at Flemington on Derby Day (1200m), with the last two winners returning a figure of 120 for that race.
Runner up That’s A Good Idea ran one pound below his third in the Premiere Stakes, returning a figure of 118 with country championships winner Artlee running to a peak of 105 first up.
Counterattack made a pleasing return to the winners circle when running on from back in the field to win the listed Brian Crowley (1200m) for Chris Waller.
The three-year-old colt came off a midfield finish behind Exosphere in the Roman Consul and with blinkers on first time was too strong for his rivals claiming a three-quarter-length win over Spill The Beans with the well fancied Hellbent in third.
Counterattack returned a career peak Timeform figure of 117, five ponds above his win in the Heritage Stakes two starts back.
The RSFS value indicate it was considerably above par for a three-year-old listed race with Counterattack the highest rated winner since Northern Meteor (119) in 2008.
The Racing and Sports sectional splits show the time of 1:08.50 is well inside race par and based on recent form the son of Redoute’s Choice looks right up to Group company going forward.
Lightly raced Spill The Beans who also came out of the Roman Consul ran to a clear new peak of 109 whilst the $1.70 favourtie Hellbent did not have a great deal of luck back in third, returning a figure of 103, below the 106p he achieved when winning well at Rosehill two runs back.
Ruling Dynasty looks set to make a late run at the Melbourne Cup following a narrow win the listed City Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m).
Settling off the leaders in third, Ruling Dynasty produced a terrific turn of foot over the final 100m to grab a narrow in over Junoob in second with Prince Cheri third.
The James Cummings-trained runner ran up to his Craven Plate effort two starts back and returned a Timeform figure of 109.
The RSFS Value was above par for a listed race with some older group performed runners in the field like Junoob, Beaten Up and The Offer.
Ruling Dynasty will now head to the Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Derby Day in order to qualify for the Melbourne Cup.
The four-year-old entire ran up to same figure as the last two winners of the race Mulaqen and Crafty Irna and will need to improve off that effort to be winning the Lexus with last years Lexus winner Signoff running to 115 which is around the average for the race.
Second placegetter Junoob ran up to his Metropolitan effort of 118 with the favourtie Beaten Up disappointing back in fifth.
Having been transfered from Gai Waterhouse to Peter & Paul Snowden, Nayeli returned in good order with a win in the Group 3 Nivison, scoring a narrow win over Peace Force with Miss Cover Girl third.
Nayeli returned a Timeform figure of 103, his highest since winning the Chairmans’s Stakes at his second career start.
The RSFS value indicate it was well below par for a Group 3 race and it’s hard to see any of these threatening feature races during the spring.
Peace Force also returned a figure of 103 a career peak, one pound above his Group 3 Glenlogan Park Stakes win.
