Godolphin-raced filly Multaja shows her class with fast times at Moonee Valley
Having her first start since her promising debut win in a Two-Year-Old Fillies’ Maiden (1115m) at Werribee on April 7, Multaja was resuming from the outside barrier (12) in a Three-Year-Old Fillies’ Handicap (1000m).
After settling back in ninth place, Dwayne Dunn tracked forward with a wide trail with Multaja, before making a decisive move, wide out, at the home turn. The filly then dashed clear in the straight to win comfortably by two lengths in the quick time of 57.57.
In what looks a strong form race, Multaja defeated two fillies that also won in very promising fashion at their debut – Pippie (Written Tycoon), who fought on well for second and the late-closing Fidelia (Not A Single Doubt) in third.
Another strong pointer was the fact that the time for the race was 1.06 seconds faster than the 58.63 recorded by the talented Brett Stanley-trained gelding Mig Energy (Redoute’s Choice) in winning the opening race, the Three-Year-Old, Colts and Geldings, Handicap (1000m).
Multaja’s sectional times were also quite outstanding, clearly the quickest of the race and again faster than Mig Energy who ran 44.83 (last 800 metres), 34.10 (last 600 metres) and 22.76 for his last 400 metres.
Clocked from the 800 metres, Multaja’s 200 metre breakdown was 10.50, 11.00, 11.14 and 11.04 which gave her impressive closing sectionals of 43.68 (last 800 metres), 33.25 (last 600 metres) and 22.25 for her final 400 metres.
Multaja looks likely to be a force in the upcoming three-year-old fillies’ Group races with the Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) at Caulfield on October 13 appearing within her capabilities.
The opening race at Randwick on Saturday, the Benchmark 70, Three-Year-Old Handicap (1200m) saw a lightly-raced and talented pair fight out the finish with Military Zone (Epaulette) winning by a nose from Danawi (Exceed And Excel) in a time of 1:09.54.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained three-year-old Military Zone, a recent first-up winner in a Maiden Handicap (1200m) at Newcastle on July 7, settled at the tail of the eight-horse field, before scoring a last stride win.
On a day of fast times at Randwick, Military Zone was clocked to run his last 1000 metres in 55.07, last 800 metres in 43.91, last 600 metres in 32.99 with his final 400 metres in 21.82.
Danawi’s 200 metre breakdown (from the 1000m) was 10.84, 10.95 (400m in 21.79), 11.24 (600m in 33.03), 11.71 (800m in 44.20) with his final 200 metres in 11.49 to give him a fast 55.69 for his final 1000 metres.
It was Danawi’s first run since his debut when second to the subsequent Group One-winning colt The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) in a Two-Year-Old, colts and geldings, Maiden Plate (1200m) at Randwick on April 25 – he is a horse to watch.
In the main race, the Missile Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) the fast times continued with Pierata (Pierro) holding to defeat his arch-rival Kementari (Lonhro) in a time of 1:08.41.
After being runner-up to Kementari in the Hobartville Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) and Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), Pierata reversed the result after having the better trip in fourth place. He went to the front at the 200 metres and then held on well to win by a long head.
Pierata’s sectionals were very smart, with his last 1000 metres in 54.61, last 800 metres in 43.94, last 600 metres in 32.96 with his final 400 metres in 22.02.
Kementari, who had been slow to move, ran on really well when he finally got into clear running clocking 54.35 (last 1000m), 43.69 (last 800m), 32.78 (last 600m) with his final 400 metres in 21.84.
And while Pierata and Kematari’s times were quite outstanding, they were surprisingly not the fastest sectionals recorded in the race.
The quickest fractions being clocked by the Mark Newnham-trained Lanciato (Per Incanto) who came from the tail of the ten-horse field to finish fourth, beaten a length and a half.
Lanciato, having his first start since April, recorded 54.31 (last 1000m), 43.45 (last 600m), 32.60 (last 600m) with his final 400 metres in 21.68.
It was an impressive performance, especially under the weight-for-age conditions, indicating that Lanciato may have returned to racing primed for his best preparation so far.
The other eye-catching effort on the watch at Randwick was the times recorded by the former Andre Fabre-trained Avilius (Pivotal), who impressed in coming from last at the home turn to win the Benchmark 91 (1600m) at his first start for James Cummings.
Having Group form in France that included a second to Cracksman (Frankel) in the Prix Niel (Gr 2, 2400m) at Chantilly, the Godolphin-raced Avilius clocked 56.41 (last 1000m), 44.34 (last 800m) 32.66 (last 600m) with his final 400 metres in 21.59.
In the final race another Godolphin-raced winner Soothing (Lonhro) scored a very smart first-up win in taking out the Benchmark 78 (1000m), sprinting away in the straight when clear to score by almost five lengths in a fast 56.23.
Soothing, a four-year-old mare and winner of four of nine starts, returned outstanding closing sectionals with her last 800 metres in 43.80, last 600 metres in 32.00, with her final 400 metres in a brilliant 21.10.