With two feature races on Saturday’s programme, the group two Missile Stakes and Listed Rosebud Stakes punters were assured of seeing some of the better class horses return to the track.
But before getting to those races, there were several noteworthy efforts by some runners on the undercard.
The Randwick track raced very fast on Saturday with several class records reset and a race record broken. That scenario set the scene for some “winter form” to be turned on its head and it was never more evident than the opening race won by the Gai Waterhouse-trained mare Echo Gal who improved markedly after two handy efforts from a spell, both on heavy ground.Echo Gal bolted home to post her fourth career win from 14 starts and her first in 339 days, surprisingly posting a Timeform rating still several pounds below her peak from last preparation that included a second to talented sprinter Kuro. There is more to come from Echo Gal.
The emphatic win by Inz’N’Out confirmed the RSFS figures from the Fell Swoop race mentioned last week, the lightly raced 4YO destroying a BM79 field after leading throughout. The gelding is now 2 from 2 off a 7 day back up but Timefigure and sectional split analysis suggests he still has another five pounds or so in hand.Read Timeform View About Fell Swoop race
Boss Lane was another to confirm the merit of his win at Canterbury over 1250m last start. Despite dropping back 250m in the space of 14 days he still had too much on his rivals just getting over the top of much improved Straturbo in the closing stages.There is no doubt Ronnie Quinton has got Boss Lane to a new level this campaign, now winning his only two runs this preparation and running to a new peak Timeform rating here.
The issue for Quinton now is to keep him in this form going forward. Runner up Straturbo is another who appreciated getting back on top of the ground, but in saying that there was much to like about his unplaced effort in open company behind Brook Road and Burbero last start on heavy ground, so the drop back in grade plus firmer footing was a distinct advantage.That combination saw him post his equal previous best Timeform rating – a mark backed up by the fasted race for the day on Timefigures.
In the same race short priced favourite Darciwood was out of play once the barriers opened and can do much better.The sixth renewal of the Listed Rosebud Stakes saw the improving Gary Portelli-trained Sebring Sun post his second win in as many runs this campaign building on his impressive first up win in midweek maiden class - improving seven pounds on that effort on Saturday.
Racing and Sports unique field strength analysis (RSFS) shows Saturday’s renewal to be on a par with the 2013 renewal won by Eurozone from Dissident so we should pay attention to it as significant form reference going forward.Sebring Sun who ran excellent races in the lead up to the Golden Slipper last campaign still has room for at least six pounds improvement going forward while runner up Voilier and fourth placed Rageese have at least similar scope for improvement.
Rageese’s run was excellent as he lost any winning chance he had at the start when squeezed out to last in a slowly run race - however it is worth remembering that second up last campaign was his best Timeform rating run in his short career to date, when second in the G1 ATC Sire’s Produce Stakes behind Pride Of Dubai.Burbero’s win in the WFA Missile Stakes confirms he has returned to racing in at least the same form before going for a spell. And that form comprised a win in the G2 Ajax Stakes as well as a close up finish in the G1 George Ryder Stakes.
Wearing blinkers for a second time, Burbero flashed through gaps in the field from last at the 300m to grab the lead right on the line backing up his excellent eye-catching effort when resuming behind Brook Road at Canterbury over 1100m.Runner up Weary, a first up winner last preparation, was again resuming and ran to a Timeform rating a couple of pounds below that mark on this occasion. He too looks set for another good campaign.
Nine-year-old Queensland sprinter Temple Of Boom resuming after a moderate winter campaign in his home state disappointed in the straight after enjoying arguably the run of the race, running almost ten pounds below his peak rating.The consistent restricted class galloper Lord Leofric rose around 20 pounds in class from his recent midweek win but did acquit himself well showing improvement in his Timeform rating to a new peak. Watch for him to drop back to a more suitable race.
As a barometer of the form going forward, the RSFS value for Saturday’s Missile Stakes puts the field around four pounds inferior to the Sweet Idea (2014) and Rain Affair (2013) renewals but on a par with Pinwheel in 2012.Ends…
