Winx Brilliant Yet Again – Visually And On The Stopwatch
She was a bit slow to move and after being last early, she settled back in fourth place, with cover, travelling comfortably despite the Heavy 10 track.
Winx simply cruised up from the home turn, took the lead nearing the 200 metres and then drew right away to score by seven and a quarter lengths with multiple Group One winners Le Romain (Hard Spun) second and Chautauqua (Encosta De Lago) third.
Timed from the 1000 metre point, Winx returned 200 metre sections of 12.64, 12.20, 11.93, 11.25 and 11.69 – giving her a final 1000 metres in 59.61, last 800 metres in 47.07, last 600 metres in 34.87 and last 400 metres in 22.94, clearly the fastest closing sectionals of any winner on the day.
And, as she seems to do with most things, Winx made light of the extremely affected track, which carried the maximum heavy rating, emphasising the feat in achieving times of that calibre.
The runner up Le Romain clocked 36.42 (last 600m) and 24.33 (last 400m) while third-placed Chautauqua clocked 36.21 (last 600m) and 24.17 (last 400m) – very good times in the conditions but clearly in another category to Winx.
In the feature race, the Gary Portelli-trained filly She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain) put up an excellent performance in taking out the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) overcoming a difficult barrier (11) and the very heavy track.
She was aided by an excellent ride by Ben Melham but her effort was full of merit, supported by impressive closing times.
After being ridden quietly and after settling midfield, She Will Reign got along the inner to race in fifth place on the rails before continuing through on the inside rounding the home turn.
She took the lead on passing the 300 metres and was untroubled from that point to win by two and a quarter lengths from Frolic (Husson) with Tulip (Pierro) gaining third on protest from Menari (Snitzel), who was relegated to fourth.
She Will Reign’s closing sectionals were good, especially her final 1000 metres of 60.17. She then clocked 49.11 (last 800m), 37.13 (last 600m) and 25.10 for her last 400 metres.
The second-placed Frolic, who had settled third last in the 16-horse field after going back from her wide barrier (14), returned very good sectionals in making up so much ground.
Frolic was timed to run her last 1000 metres in 60.45, last 800 metres in 48.45, last 600 metres in 36.53 with her last 400 metres in 24.52.
The effort of the favourite Houtzen (I Am Invincible) was excellent, seemingly disappointing judging by the fact that it was her first defeat in five starts, but her early sectionals tell another story.
After a brilliant beginning from her wide barrier (13), Houtzen crossed to the front, held a nice advantage on straightening but was overtaken at the 300 metres and then weakened to finish fifth, beaten five and three quarter lengths.
Clocked from the barrier, Houtzen returned 200 metres sections of 13.75, 11.13, 12.01, 12.57, 12.65 and 13.67. That meant she clocked 36.89 for her first 600 metres and it also showed she went a 600 metre section (from the 1000m to the 400m) in 35.71 – taxing fast early times in the conditions.
In The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m), the promising colt Russian Revolution (Snitzel) stepped up to defeat older opposition at Group One level, stamping himself as a young sprinter with a bright future.
After a good beginning from his outside barrier (14), Russian Revolution was trapped deep in sixth spot before moving up, still wide, at the home turn.
He then finished too well to win in good style despite a wide trip, scoring by a short neck from his speedy Peter and Paul Snowden-trained stablemate Redzel (Snitzel) – both horses impressing on the watch.
Russian Revolution was timed to run his last 800 metres in 47.95, last 600 metres in 36.35 with his last 400 metres in 24.44 while Redzel was clocked to run his early sections (from the 1000m to the 200m) in 22.65, 34.59 and 46.40 after racing close to the pace but deep.
The main race at Flemington on Saturday, the Blamey Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) was taken out impressively by the Darren Weir-trained Palentino (Teofilo) and he returned fast closing sectional times.
After being a handy third to the home turn, Palentino raced away to score by three and a quarter lengths. The pace was moderate for the first 400 metres (26.70) but it became a solid affair from the 1200 metre mark.
Palentino’s closing sectionals then being 1:08.42 (last 1200m), 56.39 (last 1000m), 44.50 (last 800m) 33.16 (last 600m) and 22.22 for his final 400 metres – times that indicate he has returned to his very best form.
Another noteworthy performance at Flemington was the win of the Lee and Anthony Freedman-trained two-year-old filly Shoals (Fastnet Rock) who impressed in winning the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m).
Backed in to start a firm favourite, Shoals was a handy fourth to the 400 metres and then after getting along the rails side, she finished too well to win by a half-length from Garrard (Sepoy) and Ploverset (Street Boss) in what looks a strong form race.
After running second to Catchy (Fastnet Rock) and then Houtzen at her first two starts, Garrard broker her maiden at Bendigo last month, confirming that Shoals was meeting a well-credentialed contender while Ploverset was a smart debut winner at Flemington, beating Madeenaty (Exceed And Excel) in the Football Stakes (Listed, 1000m), at her only other run to date.
And the sectional times recorded by Shoals, confirm that she is clearly a filly likely to progress to a high level.
Clocked from 1000 metre point, Shoals returned 200 metre sections of 10.91, 10.94 (400m in 21.85), 10.76 (32.61), 11.14 (800m in 43.75) and 11.85 to give her a fast 55.60 for her final 1000 metres.