Surprise Winner Shogun Sun Also Runs Surprisingly Quick Sectional Times
The opening race at Randwick on Saturday produced a surprise $20 winner, the Queensland three-year-old Shogun Sun (Written Tycoon), but his sectional times indicate that it was a performance deserving of more recognition than his betting odds suggested.
The Kelly Schweida-trained gelding enjoyed a good trip on the rails in the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1200m) for three-year-olds before dashing clear over the final stages to defeat the $2.45 favourite Addictive Nature (Savabeel) by a length and a quarter.
Time for the 1200-metre journey was 1:11.72 on a Soft 7 track, which was 0.10 faster than recorded in the feature race later in the program, the Missile Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) run in 1:11.82 on a track that had been upgraded as that stage to Soft 6.
The favourable comparison did not end there as Shogun Sun’s closing sectional times were also faster than the quality mare Invincible Gem (I Am Invincible) recorded in winning the Missile Stakes.
Shogun Sun was timed to run his last 1000 metres in 57.49, last 800 metres 46.25, last 600 metres in 34.64 and last 400 metres in 22.92.
In comparison, Invincible Gem was timed to run her last 1000 metres in 57.83, last 800 metres in 46.81, last 600 metres in 35.44 and last 400 metres in 23.73.
It was Shogun Sun’s first start outside Queensland where in five starts he was a winner of one race, with two placings, those all being on rain-affected tracks.
Shogun Sun was clearly suited by the Randwick surface on Saturday, and that comment aside, his sectional times also suggested that he is still not a horse to be taken too lightly.
The runner-up to Shogun Sun, the Bjorn Baker-trained Addictive Nature, also performed well on the clock.
That colt, a winner of his only other start, clearly has potential and Saturday’s effort was sound indeed as he ran fast mid-race sectionals after being pressured for the lead by Solar Patch (Stratum) who held on for third.
Clocked from the 1000-metre point, Addictive Nature returned 200 metre fractions of 11.19, 11.76 (400m in 22.95), 11.84 (600m in 34.79), 11.38 (800m in 46.17) with his last 200 metres in 11.95 to give him a final 1000 metres in 58.12.
A quick mid-race tempo was also established in the Missile Stakes. That was set by the noted front-running wet-tracker Jungle Edge (Dubawi) who was clocked to run a fast 34.09 (from the 1000m to the 400m) before weakening to finish last.
The aforementioned Invincible Gem staged a good effort running on well off that tempo after having a good trip to score a smart first up victory over her more favoured Kris Lees-trained stablemate Le Romain (Hard Spun).
Le Romain was caught deep and he too did well resuming, holding on gamely for second, clocking 58.02 for his last 1000 metres after also recording some quick mid-race sections.
One to catch the eye, also resuming, was the ATC Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) runner-up Harper’s Choice (Street Cry) who ran on from last for fifth clocking 58.09 for his last 1000 metres.
In the feature race in Melbourne on the weekend, the Bletchingly Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Sandown Lakeside on Sunday, the Robert Smerdon-trained gelding Ability (Reward For Effort) capped his meteoric rise this preparation with a last-to-first victory.
Advancing to weight-for-age, Ability was carrying the same 58.5 kilograms as the multiple Group One winner Lankan Rupee (Redoute’s Choice), yet finished too well to defeat his highly regarded rival by a long neck.
It should be acknowledged that the runner-up was brave in defeat, and was also Lankan Rupee’s first start this year, so his younger rival did have a fitness advantage.
But Ability’s performance was impressive visually coming from so far back in the field and also on the watch.
Racing on a Heavy 8 track, Ability ran the fastest closing sectional times of the Bletchingly Stakes, with his last 800 metres in 47.20, last 600 metres in 34.87, last 400 metres in 23.89 with his final 200 metres in 12.38.
The race did feature quick mid-race sectionals, set by the established front-runner Lord Of The Sky (Danerich), who was timed to run his 600 metres (from the 1000m to the 400m) in 33.10 before weakening to finish sixth.
At Flemington on Saturday some of the more interesting performances of the day were in the two three-year-old races.
In the opening race, the Members Pavilion Handicap for three-year-old colts and geldings, the Tony McEvoy-trained colt Azazel (Snitzel) scored a good first up win, taking his record to two wins from five starts to date.
After being handily placed just behind the leaders, Azazel finished strongly to win by just under a length, sprinting home in fast time with his last 600 metres in 32.73.
Azazel carried 60 kilograms top weight adding merit to his effort but it should be pointed out that he came of a very slow tempo, running his first 400 metres in 26.46, before producing such a fast last 600 metres.
Although, surprisingly, it was not the quickest for that section in the race, that was recorded by the Robbie Laing-trained colt Frankel My Dear (Frankel).
Racing on debut, albeit with only 52 kilograms, Frankel My Dear showed good potential in making ground in the sprint home, clocking a fast last 600 metres in 32.64.
Time for the 1000-metre journey in that race was 59.18, while a more genuine tempo prevailed in the Winter Lodge Handicap for three-year-old fillies where the same distance was covered in 57.77 – 1.41 seconds faster.
The winner Crown Witness (Star Witness) tracked a fast mid-race tempo and the Stuart Webb-trained filly showed her quality in remaining unbeaten in two starts, clocking 33.27 (last 600m) and 22.62 (last 400m).
She finished too well in the closing stages to defeat the front-running Madeenaty (Exceed And Excel) by half a length, that filly staging an impressive performance at her first start this preparation.
The Lindsay Park-trained filly carried 57 kilograms, conceding four kilograms to her less experienced rival. In addition, Madeenaty clocked a fast 32.09 for her 600 metre section (from the 800m to the 200m)… an effort of a quality filly.