Heavens Above scored her first Group 1 success when taking out the 2017 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Randwick on Saturday.
The Tim Martin-trained runner settled off midfield with Tye Angland on board before finding clear air at the top of the straight, running on strongly to score a narrow win over Silent Sedition in second with Danish Twist third.
Heavens Above ran to a new career peak Timeform figure of 114, three pounds above her second placing in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf last year and well above the 93 she ran to when resuming in the Group 2 Millie Fox the start prior.
The five-year-old mare, who now has just shy of $1 million in prizemoney from 21 starts ran to the same figure as 2016 winner Peeping, four pounds above Plucky Belle who took out the 2015 renewal.
With nothing between the placegetters, Silent Sedition in second ran up to his Mannerism win of 113 with Danish Twist in third running to 112, her highest since running to 114 behind Takedown in the Premiere Stakes last year.
Heavens Above has been nominated for both the Group 1 Doncaster and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and she will need to show significant improvement off this effort to be winning either of those.
It’s Somewhat returned from a spell in good order when taking out the Group 2 Ajax Stakes (1500m) for the second time in as many years after settling around midfield throughout.
The Godolphin runner made a strong run along the rails in the straight and was able to narrowly hold off New Tipperary in second with Testashadow third.
It’s Somewhat returned a Timeform figure of 118 equal to what he ran when beating Excess Knowledge and Dances On Stars in last years renewal, his highest since running to 120 when third in the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m).
Having progressed through the Neville Sellwood into the Queen Elizabeth last year, It’s Somewhat could also find himself in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile next month.
Since the Inception of the Ajax in 1974, only three runners have completed the Ajax-Doncaster double in the same year being Tontonan (1974), Vite Cheval (1984) and Grand Armee (2003) with Soho Square completing the double over two years (1992/93).
No horse has completed the Ajax-Queen Elizabeth double with Grand Armee (2003/4) the only one to have done it across multiples years.
Of the beaten runners, New Tipperary ran to a new career peak Timeform figure of 104, with Testashadow also running to a new career peak of 108.
Foxplay was able to secure her first win of the campaign when running on strong to win the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m).
Having not been far away in both previous runs this preparation, the Chris Waller-trained runner was sent out the short favourite and made very good ground the final 100m to grab a narrow win from Zenalicious in second with Cosmic Set third.
Foxplay returned a Timeform figure of 108, two pounds below her first up second placing in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes.
In recent times 2016 winner Let Us Win ran to 107 with Winx running to 109p when beating Hauraki and Supara in 2015.
Both placegetters ran to 107 a new career peak for both runners, some 16 pounds for third placegetter Cosmic Set.
