New Universe Again Impresses With Outstanding Sectional Times
After coming from last in a field of 11 to win a Benchmark 78, 3YO (1200m) at Rosehill on 6 May, New Universe faced a harder task on Saturday, racing over a shorter distance of 1100 metres and on a Soft 5 track.
Having drawn a slightly better barrier, Tommy Berry who probably was also mindful of the shorter distance, had New Universe not quite as far back on this occasion and the gelding was back in sixth place in the eight-horse field on settling down.
But New Universe was still conceding the leader at least six lengths nearing the home turn, before producing his powerful finishing burst to run down the leader and score a neck victory in another Benchmark 78 3YO Handicap (1100m).
The time for the journey was 1:04.85 (11.79 200m rate), which is equivalent to 1200 metres in 1:10.74, a good time on the affected track.
But again the feature of his win was his sectional times.
Clocked from the 1000 metre point, New Universe ran 200 metre sections of 11.18, 10.92 (400m in 22.10), 11.10 (600m in 33.20), 10.90 (800m in 44.10) with his last 200 metres in 11.26 to give him a fast last 1000 metre time of 55.36.
Racing And Sports rated times for the race as being 0.34 (per 200m) slower than average – the adjusted time therefore for the last 1000 metres was a brilliant 54.23.
New Universe had clocked 54.92 for his last 1000 metres in his Australian debut win, on a Good 3 track at Rosehill a fortnight earlier, his subsequent win then confirming the speed and the talent of this Chris Waller-trained sprinter.
In the opening race at Rosehill on Saturday, Godolphin’s colt Viridine (Poet’s Voice) deserves acknowledgement in running really smart closing sectional times in taking out the Two-Year-Old Handicap (1200m) and remains unbeaten in two starts.
After racing in fourth place, Viridine moved up to take a narrow lead at the 200 metres and then fought well under his 58 kilogram top weight to defeat the leader Pendeloque (Snitzel), whom he conceded 5.5 kilograms, by a short neck.
Racing on a Soft 5 track, Viridine was timed to run his last 1000 metres in 57.78, last 800 metres in 46.37, last 600 metres in 34.13 with his last 400 metres in a quick 22.22 and looks a smart colt.
In one of the feature races of last weekend’s racing, The Goodwood (Gr 1, 1200m) at Morphettville, in addition to the winner Vega Magic (Lope De Vega), the efforts on the watch of the unplaced Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega) and Hey Doc (Duporth) really took the eye.
After building a most consistent record in West Australia, Vega Magic was having his first run for the Lindsay Park stable and after being handily placed all the way, he fought back to score a game win in a time of 1:09.34 on a Good 4 track.
Vega Magic was timed to run his last 1000 metres in 55.80, last 800 metres in 45.16, last 600 metres in 34.09, last 400 metres in 22.75 with his final 200 metres in 11.44.
The Lee and Anthony Freedman-trained Santa Ana Lane was back in 16th place at the 600 metres and was in restricted room in the straight before making good ground for fifth, beaten two lengths and is a horse to watch.
Santa Ana Lane was timed to run his last 1000 metres in 55.52, last 800 metres in 44.72, last 600 metres in 33.61, last 400 metres in 22.33 with his final 200 metres in 11.34.
While the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Hey Doc, who drew badly (18), came from 18th in the 20-horse field at the 600 metres to finish sixth, beaten two and a half lengths.
Hey Doc was timed to run his last 1000 metres in 55.46, last 800 metres in 44.69, last 600 metres in 33.55, last 400 metres in 22.44 with his final 200 metres in 11.52.
Favourite for The Goodwood was the multiple Group One winner Black Heart Bart (Blackfriars) and while visually he may have appeared somewhat disappointing in finishing (2.7 lengths) seventh, he was resuming with a 59 kilogram top weight and his closing sectionals were sound indeed.
Black Heart Bart was timed to run his last 1000 metres in 56.00, last 800 metres in 45.35, last 600 metres in 34.25, last 400 metres in 22.94 with his final 200 metres in 11.59.
In the other Group One feature on Saturday, the Kris Lees-trained Sense Of Occasion (Street Sense) was suited by a solid tempo and a favoured Heavy 8 track in coming from tenth place at the home turn to score by a length and a half from the Perth Cup (Gr 2, 2400m) winner Star Exhibit (Statue Of Liberty).
Time in the affected conditions for the 2000 metre journey was 2:08.00.
Racing And Sports rated times for the race as being 0.46 (per 200m) slower than average, the adjusted time being 2:02.00 – with the first 1400 metres in 1:26.98 and the last 600 metres in 35.02.
It was Sense Of Occasion’s eighth win in 34 starts and the first at Group One level for the six-year-old gelding, who has been racing in the best form of his career for new trainer Kris Lees. The rejuvenated stayer will now be spelled to aim at the Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Another to impress on the watch at Doomben was the smart James Cummings-trained Tactical Advantage (Bel Esprit) and he clocked the fastest last 600 metres of any winner on the eight-race Doomben card in taking out the QTIS Three-Year-Old Plate (1200m).
After being well placed most of the way by Glyn Schofield, Tactical Advantage finished gamely to overhaul the leader All Over Bosanova (Court Command) and score by a short neck.
After the leaders covered the first 600 metres in 36.58, the final 600 metres was 34.78 – which was fast in the Heavy 8 conditions and the only race all day to better 35 seconds for that section.
Tactical Advantage is now the winner of five of his nine starts and the Gooree Stud-raced gelding certainly looks capable of being effective in Group class.