Timeform Review of the 2016 Missile Stakes (1200m) Day at Randwick, also featuring the Listed Rosebud (1200m)
Missile Stakes
Tycoon Tara was able to upstage the boys when claiming victory in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
In a depleted race on a heavy track, Tycoon Tara led all the way to claim a half length win over favourite Rebel Dane with Mount Nebo not far away in third.
Formerly with the Simon Wilde stable, the six-year-old mare was having her first start for the Peter and Paul Snowden stable and ran to a Timeform figure of 108 on Saturday her highest since running to 111 when fifth in the Group 1 William Hill Classic last year.
The field of just five runners is the smallest Missile field since 1997, which saw Guineas beat Spartacus and Moss Rocket in a small but handy field of four.
Tycoon Tara is the lowest rated winner of the Missile since Pompeii in 2003 who also ran to 108, below the 115 returned by Burbero in the 2015 renewal.
The highest rated winner of the race in the last 25 years was Lonhro in 2002 who returned a figure of 127 when beating Ancient Song by just under four lengths.
Tycoon Tara will more than likely head towards the Group 3 Toy Show (1300m) next start and the 108 she ran to on Saturday puts her right around the mark for a race like this.
2015 Toy Show winner Amicus returned a Timeform figure of 105 with the average winner running to 106.6 in the last five years.
Rebel Dane was unable to run anything near his previous best in second place and returned a Timeform figure of 111, well below his peak of 122.
Not overly suited to the heavy conditions, Rebel Dane was certainly nowhere near his best but is likely to improve off that effort leading into spring feature racing.
Mount Nebo in third, three-quarters of a length away from the winner ran to a clear new peak of 110 although some seven pounds higher than his previous best there are some question marks on if he can run up to that level again.
Rosebud
Thronum was able to claim a narrow win in the listed Rosebud (1200m) in what was the first feature race of the season for the three-year-olds.
On the back of a terrific two-year-old season, the Gai Waterhouse-trained runner went straight to the lead and was able to hold off Mediterranean over the concluding stages with Miss Beneteau also not far away in third.
Thronum, who should probably still be undefeated from four career runs ran to a new peak Timeform figure of 105, two pounds higher than his last start win at Canterbury over the 1200m.
The son of Snitzel is the highest rated winner of the race since Eurozone in 2013 (106), running considerably higher than Sebring Sun in 2015 (102) and Scissor Kick in 2014 (101).
The Racing and Sports field strength value of 102.5 is slightly below par for a three-year-old listed race but around par for this race early on in the season.
Holding his own against previous winners of the race, Thronum looks set for a big spring campaign although interestingly has not raced on a track better than soft.
Mediterranean in second ran to a new peak of 104 two pounds above his previous best achieved in Group 2 company last campaign.
These two appear the ones to follow out of the race with Miss Benetau in third coming out of provincial company running to 98
Others To Follow
There was not a great deal else to come out of the meeting although one of the more impressive wins came from Lie Direct in the Benchmark 74 Handicap over 2400m when winning by nine lengths.
Doing her best racing on the heavy track, Lie Direct ran to a new peak Timeform rating of 90 at his 23rd start and should he continue to find heavy tracks could be one to follow.
Invitations also ran up to his previous best rating of 93 when taking out the Benchmark 81 Handicap over the 1000m and whilst not beating a great deal of note is one to keep an eye on going forward this campaign.
