Egg Tart Demonstrates Great Turn Of Foot In Second Group One Victory
The Chris Waller-trained filly commenced this preparation with a first up win in a Class One, Fillies and Mares Handicap (1300m) at Newcastle’s Beaumont track on 11 March.
She followed that with victories at Warwick Farm, Flemington and Morphettville, where she firstly showed her rare brand of acceleration over a staying trip with a brilliant late-closing win in the Schweppes Oaks (registered as Australasian Oaks) (Gr 1, 2010m).
Then again on Saturday, racing over 2200 metres, Egg Tart produced an impressive sprint that saw her come from back in 11th place in the short 341 metre Doomben straight to score clearly by a length and a quarter.
“Egg Tart is a fantastic filly,” said her rider Kerrin McEvoy.
“She had a turn of foot to get me out of trouble after we got caught behind some slow ones.”
And that was confirmed by Daily Sectionals’ timing which revealed that Egg Tart recorded the fastest last 200 metres (11.32) and fastest last 100 metres (5.70) of any of the winners on the eight race Doomben card.
Her other closing sectional times were also impressive with her last 1000 metres in 58.60, last 800 metres in 34.28 with her final 400 metres in a quick 22.72.
In one of the other features at Doomben the Nick Olive-trained mare Single Gaze (Not A Single Doubt) also demonstrated a quick final sprint in taking out the P J O’Shea Stakes (Gr 2, 2200m).
Run over the same 2200 metre distance as the Queensland Oaks, there was however a noticeable difference in the merit of the closing times as the P J O’Shea Stakes was run at a very moderate early pace with the final time of that race being 2:19.21, which was 3.2 seconds slower than Egg Tart’s 2:16.01.
And, having observed over many years in analysing times, a slow early pace makes the task of sprinting quickly over the final stages far more likely – the stronger the overall pace adds significantly to the merit of the closing times.
Single Gaze raced outside the leader Preferment (Zabeel) and they covered the first 1600 metres in a pedestrian 1:45.30 (13.16 200m rate) before the latter sprinted home in a quick 34.00 (last 600m).
While the first 1600 metres in the Queensland Oaks was 1:41.02 (12.62 200m rate), some 4.28 seconds faster, yet Egg Tart sprinted her last 600 metres in 34.28 – only 0.28 seconds slower and her other closing times (400m, 200m and 100m) were faster.
Egg Tart is now to be spelled and aimed at the spring carnival with bright prospects in even stronger grades.
In the other Group feature at Doomben, the consistent Gerald Ryan-trained sprinter Deploy (Fastnet Rock) impressed on the watch in taking out the Moreton Cup (Gr 2, 1200m).
Progressing quickly through the grades, Deploy has advanced from winning a Benchmark 82 (1400m) at Randwick on 4 February, at the end of his last preparation, to winning that Doomben Group Two race at his second run this term.
After a quick beginning from his wide barrier (10), Deploy raced outside the leader, took a narrow lead halfway down the straight and then lifted in the closing stages when challenged by the top weight Dothraki (Mossman) to win by a long neck.
The time for the 1200 metre journey was 1:09.19, which was clearly the fastest of the three races on the Doomben program over that distance.
In addition, Deploy returned the fastest last 1000 metres (55.80) and last 600 metres (33.52) of any of the winners of the eight races on the day.
While Deploy is a progressive four-year-old sprinter on the rise, acknowledgement is due to the runner up Dothraki, as that six-year-old, who was having his 37th start, showed he can still be most effective as he conceded the winner six kilograms yet only failed narrowly in the fast run race.
Another progressive sprinter to produce fast closing times at Doomben was the Bjorn Baker-trained four-year-old mare Bonny O’Reilly (O’Reilly) in winning the Helen Coughlan Stakes (Listed, 1200m).
Now the winner of seven of her nine starts, Bonny O’Reilly enjoyed a nice trip from her good barrier (2) behind the leader before taking an inside run on straightening. She then went on to score comfortably by a length and a quarter in an overall time of 1:10.23.
The tempo was reasonable in the early part of the race with the first 600 metres clocking 36.26 and Bonny O’Reilly then returned fast closing times with her last 600 metres in 33.90, last 400 metres in 22.36) with her final 200 metres in 11.36.
At the Rosehill meeting on Saturday, the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt Silence (Foxwedge) returned quick closing times in winning the Two-Year-Old Handicap (1200m).
Having only his fourth race start, Silence ran on from fifth at the 800 metres to win narrowly but it was his sectional times that took the eye with his last 600 metres in 33.38, last 400 metres in 22.23 with his final 200 metres in 11.29.
The fourth-placed Gerald Ryan-trained filly Pendeloque (Snitzel) also impressed On The Watch as she was pressured in the lead, clocking a fast mid-race section of 44.70 (1000m to the 200m), and she did very well in then holding on for fourth, beaten only a length and a quarter.
But last word goes to the Chris Waller-trained sprinter New Universe (Darci Brahma) who suffered his first defeat in three Australian starts since coming from New Zealand when (2.8 lengths) eighth in the Benchmark 78, 3YO (1200m) at Rosehill.
New Universe has featured twice recently in this column after producing very impressive closing sectional times in winning previously at Rosehill on 6 and 20 May.
A firm favourite on Saturday, supporters may have been disappointed in New Universe but circumstances were strongly against him winning again.
Going up quickly in the weights, New Universe carried 59.5 kilograms top weight and his task was then made even more difficult when he over-raced in the early stages behind a slow early pace (first 600m in 36.83).
New Universe then gradually made ground in the sprint home, his fast closing times confirming that this three-year-old is still a rising talent with his last 600 metres in 33.03 and last 400 metres in 21.90.
Doomben Sectional Times provided by www.dailysectionals.com.au