Saturday’s Flemington Meeting Produces Exaggerated Fast Closing Sectional Times
The very fast closing sectional times at Saturday’s Flemington meeting may have suggested to some people it was a day that had produced a number of exceptional horses.
But a more likely explanation was the fact that jockey’s tactics were tailored to adjust to the blustery winds that saw the early part of most races run at a dawdling pace, exaggerating the fast closing times.
For example, in the first event, the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600m), racing on a Good 4 track, the leader’s times were 64.50 (a pedestrian 12.90 200m rate) for the first 1000 metres with the final 600 metres in a fast 33.56 (11.19 200m rate).
The winner was the seven-year-old gelding Riyadh (Darci Brahma), who won in the moderate overall time of 1:37.95, came from back in the field and sprinted home his last 600 metres in a seemingly brilliant 32.73.
While not detracting from the performance of Riyadh, who is racing in peak form with Saturday being his third successive win, On The Watch wants to point out the unusual circumstances that prevailed at Flemington.
Virtually all of the nine races had slow early sectional times with fast closing speeds, the winners covering their final 600 metres, where the wind could have also been a factor, in a range of 34.31 to 32.23.
In fact, in the final race, the Flemington Event Staff Handicap (1100m) for three-year-olds the entire field of 11 broke 33 seconds for their final 600 metres.
Using sectional times as a means of evaluating races can be a valuable and interesting pursuit but it does require flexible evaluation.
There does appear to be a preoccupation in focusing only on closing times and they can, and usually are, affected by the pace in the early or mid-stages, Saturday being a perfect example.
In acknowledging that, On The Watch was taken by the effort of the Darren Weir-trained filly Anchor Bid (High Chaparral) in winning the Byerley Handicap (1800m).
This staying bred two-year-old filly was having only her fourth start and Saturday was her first win but she clearly shows potential to be effective over longer trips with the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) now being her likely spring objective.
Craig Williams rode for the conditions well. In a race that did not appear to have any noted on-pace runners, he had Anchor Bid nicely position in third place on the rails, with cover from the wind, but not too far off the lead to adapt to the likely sprint home.
However, Anchor Bid did momentarily have trouble gaining a clear passage, until Williams found a split on passing the 200 metres. The filly then accelerated quickly and soon dashed clear before going on to score easily by two and a half lengths.
After the leaders ran first 1200 metres in only 1:17.88 (12.98 200m rate), Anchor Bid sprinted the final 600 metres in 34.14, last 400 metres in 22.77 with the last 200 metres in 11.44.
They were quick closing times, but not exceptional on the day, as explained previously. However, Anchor Bid also demonstrated admirable traits for a stayer, relaxing well behind a very moderate tempo before producing a fast turn of foot when required.
Other two-year-olds to take the eye on Saturday were the promising Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colts Assimilate (Sebring) and Dracarys (Snitzel) who fought out the ATC Member For A Day Handicap (1200m) at Randwick.
The winner Assimilate was having his second start having won a Kembla 2YO Maiden (1200m) on debut at Kembla on 8 July, and after settling in second last place in the six-horse field, he came with a late run to defeat his stablemate by a head.
Racing on a Soft 5 track, Assimilate was timed to run his final 1000 metres in 57.29, last 800 metres in 45.86, last 600 metres in 34.64 with his final 200 metres in 23.34.
He looks suited to further and this stylish colt is now being aimed at the Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) at Rosehill on 23 September.
While Dracarys, who clocked 57.69 for his last 1000 metres, 46.27 (last 800m), 34.96 (last 600m) and 23.58 (last 400m) is likely to follow a similar path after a bold first up effort at only his third race start.
Those colts were given the opportunity to produce quick closing times when Commanding Witness (Star Witness), who was racing keenly, set up a large mid-race lead clocking a fast 45.82 for the 800 metres (from the 1000m to the 200m) before finishing fourth.
At Morphettville on Saturday the David Brideoake-trained colt Terry (Trusting) advanced from his promising debut win in a Pakenham two-year-old maiden (1200m) on 25 June to take out the Oaklands Plate (Listed, 1400m) in promising fashion.
After settling back in tenth place on the rails, Terry was blocked before getting along the rails in the straight to score a smart win by a neck from the Jason Warren-trained filly Kardashing (Redoute’s Choice) with the Tony McEvoy-trained filly Bring Me Roses (High Chaparral) a neck away in third.
Racing on a Soft 6 track, rated by Racing And Sports as being 0.78 seconds slow on average per 200 metres, Terry was timed to run his last 800 metres in 48.92, last 600 metres in 36.34 with his final 400 metres in 24.31.
He is a promising colt who looks suited to longer distances and appears to have a bright future.
The same can be said of the third-placed filly Bring Me Roses. Having only her second race start, she had trouble getting clear running in coming from the tail of the field and she really caught the eye in the closing stages.
Bring Me Roses was timed to run her 800 metres in 48.95, last 600 metres in 36.26, last 400 metres in 24.24 while her final 200 metres in 12.00 was the fastest of the race for that section.