Additive Nature Continues To Impress With Very Smart Sectional Times
The Bjorn Baker-trained colt Addictive Nature (Savabeel) continues to impress by producing very smart sectional times, again highlighted in his win in Saturday’s Ming Dynasty Quality (Gr 3, 1400m) at Rosehill.
Lightly raced, having had only three starts to date, Addictive Nature has impressed with surprisingly quick times, especially considering his staying pedigree.
The son of Savabeel (Zabeel) did well in winning on his debut in a Two-Year-Old Handicap (1100m) at Warwick Farm on 19 July before again showing his pace when a game second to Shogun Sun (Written Tycoon) in a Benchmark 70, 3YO (1200m) at Randwick on 5 August.
His effort in taking second in that race was subsequently highlighted in this column after producing fast mid-race sections when pressured for the lead.
On Saturday, Addictive Nature was smartly away, went to the front but was again pressured in the lead, this time by the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt Runaway (Manhattan Rain).
After getting the better of that runner, he got a break on turning for home and then fought back really gamely to score by a short head from the previously unbeaten Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt Assimilate (Sebring).
Time for the 1400 metre journey was a smart 1:22.59 but it was Addictive Nature’s sectional times that were the main feature of his win.
Clocked from the 1200 metre point, Addictive Nature returned 200 metre fractions of 10.95, 11.75 (400m in 22.7), 11.55 (600m in 34.25), 11.30 (800m in 45.55), 11.33 (1000m in 56.88) with his last 200 metres in 11.78 to give him a quick 1:08.66 for his final 1200 metres.
To win a Group race at only your third race start is a good achievement, and it will also be interesting to see what distance range Addictive Nature may be capable of, but On The Watch suspects the best is yet to come when ridden off the pace, irrespective of distance.
The runner-up Assimilate also impressed on Saturday, producing fast closing sectional times after he being ridden quietly from barrier eight, remaining in last place in the nine-horse field before going wides of all at the home turn.
He then sprinted quickly, challenged at the 100 metres and battled strongly in his narrow defeat.
Assimilate was timed to run his final 400 metres in 22.41, last 600 metres in 33.37, last 800 metres in 45.03, last 1000 metres in 56.74 with his final 1200 metres in a very fast 1:07.86.
He looks a quality colt.
Another to take the eye in the Ming Dynasty Quality was the Team Hawkes-trained Mahalangur (O’Reilly) who was having only his second race start after an impressive win on debut in a Maiden Handicap (1200m) at Newcastle on 12 August.
The New Zealand-bred colt raced back in seventh place on the rails before switching deeper shortly after straightening. He then kept running on in good style for fourth, beaten just over two lengths.
Mahalangur was timed to run his last 200 metres in 22.93, last 600 metres in 34.07, last 800 metres in 45.66, last 1000 metres in 57.35 with his final 1200 metres in a very smart 1:08.41.
He looks a progressive colt with a good future that also seems suited to longer distances.
In the San Domenico Stakes the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt Pariah (Redoute’s Choice) staged a bold first up performance in scoring an impressive late-closing win.
Having his first start since 11th on a Heavy 10 track in the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) in March, Pariah was ridden patiently by Blake Shinn from the outside barrier (9) and after being last early on, switched into clear running at the 300 metres before producing a fast sprint.
After hitting the front at the 100 metres, Pariah then fought back to score decisively by a length from the Team Hawkes-trained colt Chauffeur (Snitzel) with the Godolphin-raced filly Jorda (Exceed And Excel) a neck away third.
Pariah’s closing sectional times were quite outstanding with his last 1000 metres in 54.39, last 800 metres in 43.88, last 600 metres in 33.20 with his final 400 metres in 22.32.
Time for the 1100 metre journey was 1:03.20, which was exactly the same time clocked by the talented Gerald Ryan-trained colt Menari (Snitzel) in his first up victory in The Rosebud (Listed, 1100m) at Rosehill a fortnight previously.
The 1:03.20 is only 0.69 seconds outside the Rosehill track record for the 1100 metre distance and represents a fast 200 metre rate of 11.49, equivalent to 1200 metres in 1:08.94.
Menari’s win was subsequently featured in On The Watch which detailed the colt’s impressive overall time and fast sectional times and there appears little between the talented pair as the head to The Run To The Rose (Gr 2, 1200m) on Saturday week.
They have met twice to date with Pariah defeating the unlucky Menari, by a length in the Canonbury Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Rosehill on 28 January and again in the Golden Slipper Stakes in March when Menari ran fourth whilst Pariah failed on the badly affected track, finishing 11th.
The runner up on Saturday, Chauffeur also returned very smart closing sectional times in a really good first up performance.
Chauffeur settled back in last place from barrier seven, before improving between runners on turning for home. He went to third at the 100 metres and kept running on well for second.
He was timed from run his last 1000 metres in 54.48, last 800 metres in 43.85, last 600 metres in 33.13 with his last 400 metres in 22.27.
While the third placed filly Jorda was another to take the eye.
Having only her second race start, not racing since taking out the Gimcrack Stakes (Listed, 1000m) at Randwick last October on debut, Jorda settled in fifth place, on the rails but was in restricted room at different stages in the straight before finishing a very sound third.
Jorda was timed to run her last 1000 metres in a quick 54.98, last 800 metres in 44.6, last 600 metres in 33.69 with her final 400 metres in 22.63.
All three placegetters in the San Domenico Stakes appear quality three-year-olds.