Redzel Produces Dazzling Display Of Speed In First Stakes Victory
After a brilliant beginning from his outside barrier (12), Redzel immediately crossed to the lead and he then continued to set a fast tempo, producing some of the fastest sectional times of the day.
Clocked from the 1000 metre point, Redzel ran 200 metre sections of 10.98, 10.84 (400m in 21.82), 11.33 (600m in 33.13), 11.31 (800m in 44.44) with his final 200 metres in 12.23 to give him a fast last 1000 metre time of 56.67.
The son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) had set up a clear break on turning for home and still had enough in hand, despite the taxing early tempo, to win by a long neck from the Stradbroke Handicap (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Under The Louvre (Excellent Art).
It was Redzel’s second win in two starts this preparation, having also recorded a front-running victory in the July Sprint (1100m) at Canterbury on 23 July.
Trained at Randwick by Peter and Paul Snowden, Redzel is four-year-old gelding who has now raced 11 times for four wins and three placings for prize money earnings of $323,200.
The runner-up Under The Louvre also impressed on the watch, coming from back in second last place in the 12-horse field at the 600 metres mark.
He was timed to run his final 1000 metres in 56.50, last 800 metres in 44.82, last 600 metres in 33.87 with his final 400 metres in 22.60 in a most promising effort in his first start since his Group One victory at Eagle Farm in June.
The third-placed Santa Ana Lane (Lope de Vega) also staged a good return after racing in Queensland, running on nicely along the rails to take the minor placing, coming from back in ninth place in the early stages.
The lightly raced four-year-old, who has shown potential for longer distances, Santa Ana Lane clocked 56.58 for his final 1000 metres, 45.16 (last 800m), 34.18 (last 600m) and 22.89 (last 400m) and looks primed for a good preparation.
In the feature race at Caulfield, the Memsie Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), Black Heart Bart (Blackfriars) came off a very solid mid-race tempo to take out his second Group One race in comfortable fashion.
The front-running Charmed Harmony (Hussonet) ensured a truly run race, clocking a fast 58.17 for the 1000 metres (from the 1200m point) until being overtaken at the 200 metre mark. He subsequently finished back in eighth place after that early effort.
Black Heart Bart, who was well-rated by Brad Rawiller, drew to the front as Charmed Harmony dropped out and then went on to win by one and quarter lengths from Rising Romance (Ekraar) with Mahuta (Flying Spur) two and quarter lengths further back in third.
The winner returned solid closing sectional times, with his last 1200 metres clocking 1:09.35 and then 57.68 (last 1000m), 45.99 (last 800m), 34.32 (last 600m) with his last 400 metres in 22.94.
Of the other Memsie Stakes runners, the Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Tarzino (Tavistock) was another to impress on the watch in coming from a distant last, making good late ground wide out to finish seventh.
Tarzino was timed to run his last 1200 metres in 1:09.76, last 1000 metres in 57.63, last 800 metres in 45.77 with his last 400 metres in 22.72 in an effort to suggest he has returned in top order for his four-year-old season.
Earlier in the program, the promising filly Leotie (Darci Brahma) returned very fast closing sectional times in taking out the Benchmark 78 (1400m).
Having only her fourth race start, Leotie settled well in fourth place, behind a very moderate tempo (first 800m 51.77) before improving nearing the home turn. She took the lead at the 200 metres and then went on to score comfortably by one and quarter lengths from Sebrikka (Sebring).
Leotie clocked 34.20 for her last 600 metres with her final 400 metres (21.96) and last 200 metres (10.94) being run in very quick time.
She looks a good filly, now winning two of her four starts to date, but it should be taken into account that the fast closing times can be exaggerated when coming of such a slow early tempo.
The runner-up Sebrikka also produced quick closing times in coming from back in the field. She ran her last 600 metres in 34.15, last 400 metres in 21.90 with her final 200 metres in 10.94.
In the colts and geldings’ three-year-old race, the H D F McNeil Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt Defcon (Choisir) scored a good first-up win at his first run in Melbourne.
Running on from seventh place on the rails, Defcon went on to win by one and quarter lengths from the favourite Highland Beat (Exceed And Excel).
Timed from the 1000 metres, Defcon returned 200 metre sections of 11.01, 11.75 (400m in 22.76), 11.84 (600m in 34.60), 11.28 (800m in 45.88) with his last 200 metres in 11.53 to give the promising colt a quick final 1000 metre time of 57.41.
At the corresponding Rosehill meeting on Saturday, the Godolphin-raced three-year-old colt Astern (Medaglia d’Oro) impressed with his bold first-up effort in taking out The Run To The Rose (Gr 2, 1200m).
After travelling in sixth place on the rails, James McDonald steered Astern along the inner on turning for home and the colt then proved too strong in the closing stages to defeat the San Domenico Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) winner Star Turn (Star Witness) by a long head.
Timed from the 1000 metre point, Astern returned 200 metre sections of 11.33, 11.85 (400m in 23.18), 11.96 (600m in 35.14), 11.00 (800m in 46.14) and 11.13 for a final 1000 metres in 57.27, quick especially considering the Soft 7 conditions.
Astern, the winner of four of his five starts to date, was impressive, so much so that the TAB reacted by making the colt their $4.60 favourite for Saturday week’s Golden Rose (Gr 1, 1400m) at Rosehill.