Impending has continued his strong form this campaign with a narrow victory in the Kingsford-Smith Cup (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.
The James Cummings-trained runner has come back very well, winning the Group 2 Victory Stakes first up before running on to finish runner up in the Doomben 10,000 last start.
Settling back throughout with Damian Browne on board, Impending still had plenty of work to do at the top of the straight but under an inspired ride was able to weave his way through the field to arrive in time and nose out Le Romain in second with Champagne Cuddles third.
Impending returned a Timeform figure of 122+, equal to his previous best achieved the start prior when runner up to English in the Doomben 10,000.
The 122 achieved by Impending is the equal highest winning figure since Black Caviar who ran to 133+ when winning in 2011 (BTC Cup, 1200m).
This was just the second year the race has been run over at Doomben with 2017 winner Clearly Innocent running to 121 when beating Jungle Edge over 1300m.
Impending will now head towards the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) a race he won last year after a fourth placing in the Kingsford Smith Cup.
Going into the race in much better form this year, there is no reason he can’t make it back to back wins in the feature race before heading off to stud a multiple Group 1 winner.
Of the beaten runners Le Romain was very good again notching up his third Group 1 placing in a row and also ran to 122 and will also head towards the Stradbroke Handicap.
Three-year-old filly Champagne Cuddles followed up her outstanding Gold Coast Guineas win with a third placing and ran to a new career peak Timeform figure of 113p.
The Bjorn Baker-trained runner will be getting plenty of weight off the likes of Impending in the Stradbroke and with plenty of upside looks a strong chance in the feature race.
The other Group 1 of the day saw Youngstar continue her strong form to notch up her fourth victory in a row and the first Group 1 of her career in the Queensland Oaks (2200m).
In what looked a fairly weak renewal, Youngstar settled midfield before edging closer to find herself off the leaders.
Another Dollar looked the winner at the 250m, but Kerrin McEvoy was able to get the best out of Youngstar over the final stages to edge out Another Dollar in second with Sheezdashing diving late into a close third.
Youngstar returned a Timeform figure of 105+, the same as her win in the Group 2 Roses which is the lowest winning figure since Miss Keepsake in 2010 (2400m) who ran to 99.
The 2017 renewal which saw Egg Tart beat Pygmy has not seen a subsequent stakes winner out of the race and only three runners of any Oaks have gone on to win another Group 1 since 2000.
The feature two-year-old even of the day saw Lean Mean Machine overcome another wide barrier to get the better of Zousain and Boomsara in the Group 2 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1350m).
Settling back in the field Corey Brown was able to bring Lean Mean Machine along the rails, taking the lead at the 100m and proving too good for his rivals, beating Zousain by just under a length.
The Chris Waller-trained runner ran to a new career peak Timeform figure of 109+, nine pounds above his previous best achieved when third in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m).
Lean Mean Machine ran below 2017 winner Melody Belle (112+) and the same figure as 2016 winner Attention (109).
The Stablemates Lean Mean Machine and Zousain will both now progress to the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) with both likely to be right in the market with The Autumn Sun also from the Chris Waller stable.
