Sectional Times Suggest The Mission’s Champagne Stakes Win Deserving Of More Merit
With the majority of winners coming from horses either leading or on the pace, most pundits concluded the Heavy 8 track at Randwick had a bias in their favour.
That claim certainly appears valid on the face value of the results but sectional times in a number of races also played an important factor in the outcome.
That The Mission could lead at such a hectic tempo and still fight on strongly to defeat the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Invader (Snitzel) by two and a quarter lengths was clearly an impressive performance.
Due to the Heavy 8 track, actual times at Randwick were difficult to evaluate with the 1600 metre journey being run in 1:41.07 with The Mission clocking 62.04 (12.40 200m rate) for his first 1000 metres with his final 600 metres in 39.03 (13.01 200m rate).
To put those times into perspective, the Racing And Sports Time Standard adjustment for the Champagne Stakes was 0.90 seconds slow per 200 metres, giving The Mission and adjusted time for his first 1000 metres of the race in a very fast 57.54.
His final 600 metre time of 39.03, when adjusted was 36.33, and the adjusted time for the full journey was 1:33.87, which is quite outstanding.
And for The Mission to be able to go so fast in the early stages, setting the race up for backmarkers, stamped his potential in safely holding off all challengers over the final stages.
It was The Mission’s second win in eight starts and now that trainer Paul Perry and jockey Damian Lane appear to have the colt producing his best he could go on to prove himself in the Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in the spring.
In the other Group One feature at Randwick, a fast early tempo was instrumental in seeing the Mike Moroney-trained four-year-old Tivaci (High Chaparral) come from last to win the All Aged Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), overcoming the perceived bias against backmarkers.
The pace was set by the noted front-runner Jungle Edge (Dubawi) with three-time Group One winner Le Romain (Hard Spun) at his girth.
Le Romain got the upper hand at the 100 metres, but he could not hold off the late-closing Tivaci who defeated him by a neck with Jungle Edge holding on for third, a length and a quarter further back.
Time for the 1400 metre distance was 1:26.94 with the first 800 metres being run in 49.09 (12.27 200m rate) and the last 600 metre in 37.85 (12.61 200m rate).
Again using the Racing And Sports Time Standard adjustment, which was 0.88 slow per 200 metres in the All Aged Stakes, the adjusted time for the 1400 metre journey was a fast 1:20.78.
While the adjusted sectional times revealed that the first 800 metres was run in equivalent time, in standard conditions, in a fast 45.57 (setting the race up for backmarkers) with the last 600 metres adjusted time was 35.21.
In the following race, the J H B Carr Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) the Godolphin-raced mare Raiment (Street Cry) recorded an easy win, returning amazingly good times.
Raiment settled in seventh place (wide with cover) before James Doyle made his move approaching the home turn, then after taking the lead at the 300 metres, she raced away over the latter stages to win by four and a half lengths.
Raiment ran the 1400 metre distance in an official time of 1:26.75 which was surprisingly 0.19 faster than Tivaci’s 1:26.94 recorded in the weight-for-age All Aged Stakes.
The Racing And Sports Time Standard adjustment, which was a slightly quicker 0.85 slow per 200 metres in the J H B Carr Stakes, the adjusted time for the 1400 metre journey was a fast 1:20.80.
The sectional times were 48.96 (12.24 200m rate) for the first 800 metres with the last 600 metres in 37.79 (12.59 last 600m) with the adjusted times being 45.56 (first 800m) and 35.24 (last 600m).
It was Raiment’s fifth win from 11 starts to date and Saturday’s performance suggests that she is capable of progressing to far better things.
In the Hall Mark Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m), the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained sprinter Redzel (Snitzel) showed that he could be rated in front instead of tearing along at high speed all the way, holding on to win well in a time of 1:13.73, with his first 600 metres in 36.80 and last 600 metres in 36.93.
Redzel’s Time Standard adjustment, which was 0.89 slow per 200 metres, was 1:08.39 with his first 600 metres in 34.13 with his last 600 metres in 34.26.
Prior to Saturday, Redzel had not been able to win beyond 1100 metres and his improved racing manners resulted in his first win over 1200 metres in a 16-start career to date.
Earlier in the program, supporters of a bias front-runners track, seemingly gained evidence when the Anthony and Edwards Cummings-trained mare Top Of My List (High Chaparral) was a surprise $18.00 all the way winner of the Japan Racing Association Plate (Gr 3, 2000m).
While On The Watch does not want to enter into the topic of bias tracks, which clearly play a part in modern day racing due to moveable rails and excessive racing, this column only wanted to highlight that sectional times usually play a part in the outcome of races, which can be overlooked in the track bias analysis.
Point being that Top Of My List was able to set a very moderate tempo in the lead that resulted in the 2000 metre distance being run in only 2:09.92 with the first 1400 metres in a pedestrian 1:33.29 (13.32 200m rate) with the last 600 metres in 36.63 (12.22 200m rate).
Top Of My List actually clocked the fastest last 600 metres of any of the winners on the nine-race card, which made it very difficult for runners back in the field to make ground, irrespective of a track bias or not.