The P.B Lawrence was the headline act but it was a flying filly Petits Filous who stole the show at Caulfield.
Petits Filous started her career with a couple of smart performances around the Valley, the clock quickly showing her in a positive light and pointing to her being far and above the bare form behind her, but in the Quezette we got to see what was really under the bonnet.
Petit Filous met better rivals in the Quezette, Jalan Jalan and Miss Gunpowder promising fillies in their own right coming off last start wins, and after Petits Filous took up the running both her key rivals threw down a hearty challenge, but they couldn't make a dent in the winner's rapidly growing reputation.
Petits Filous' final time of 1:03.10 compared favourably with the older mares over the same distance earlier on the card as well as her male contemporaries in the Vain Stakes who, it must be said, appear to be a very modest bunch.
In a quirk, the Vain winner Gold Symphony ran identical time to Thurlow, last home some 8.8 lengths away in the Quezette.
Overall time has to be taken in context with the way that the race was run, and the Vain was run steadily early, but even marking the form up using sectional times leaves the Vain some way behind the Quezette.
To further emphasise the gap between the fillies and the colts on this particular occasion, the RSFS (Racing And Sports' statistical measure of field strength) of the Quezette was 106.4 compared to the Vain at 96.6.
Sectional analysis also works out favourably for Petits Filous. Her speed over the final 600m almost exactly matched her overall race speed (100.02%) but something closer to 102% is the quickest way around the Caulfield 1100m in the view of Racing And Sports.
Petits Filous has been rewarded with a Timeform rating of 109 but another terrific timefigure ensures that a 'p' remains on that figure and she is expected to prove up to better still.
Petits Filous is the shiny new toy on the scene but we all have a soft spot for the established and they were to the fore in the Lawrence Stakes.
Eight-year-olds Mourinho and The Cleaner paired off and fought out a race that felt fairly familiar.
The Cleaner prevailed in a similar brawl in the Dato Tan Chin Nam last season and they look all set for a rematch in two weeks time.
Both ran to a Timeform rating of 116 on Saturday, both are capable of going slightly higher, and both look sure to peak at Moonee Valley, where they both have a great record. Splitting them will once again be no easy task.
Former Hong Kong galloper Dibayani ran to 113 at his first Australian appearance, an ideal start that he looks sure to build on.
He balanced up like he was going to win the race but just tired late into third. He's sure to benefit from that run, and he'll be better seen up in trip next time, so 113 looks a mere start-point for him and his peak from Hong Kong of 121 looks well within range this spring.
