Sectional Times Suggest Weir Has Found The Key To Sooboog
Having his fifth start since his move from Team Hawkes to Weir, Sooboog broke through for his first stakes success and his first win in almost two years.
A $1,500,000 purchase at the 2014 Inglis Australian Easter Sales, Sooboog was settled close to the leaders by apprentice Michael Dee, behind a steady early tempo.
Sooboog improved well at the 400 metres and after dashing clear shortly afterwards he went on to score quite impressively by a length and three quarters from the Irish-bred import Dibayani (Shamardal) in the sound time of 1:10.06 on the Good4 track.
But the most noteworthy aspect of Sooboog’s victory were his sectional times after a moderate first 200 metres in 14.14.
Clocked from the 1000 metre mark, Sooboog was timed to run 200 metre sections of 11.11, 11.01 (400m in 22.12), 10.96 (600m in 33.08), 10.97 (an impressive 800m in 44.05) with his last 200 metres in 11.87 for a final 1000 metres in 55.92.
“He did a lot at the beach at the start but then we swapped him back to Ballarat in the last ten days,” Darren Weir explained. “He’s done a bit of schooling, a few strong grass gallops and it’s switched him on.
“We’ll just swap him from stable to stable to keep him interested.
“He began well and raced properly for once…he got into a good rhythm and when he can do that he’s a really good galloper,” Weir added.
The runner-up Dibayani also ran well at his first run this preparation.
Carrying top weight of 59 kilograms, the dual Group One-placed gelding settled back in seventh place and after switching into clear running at the 400 metres, he fought well in the sprint-home for a good second clocking a very smart 55.85 for his final 1000 metres.
In a red letter day at Flemington for Darren Weir, his fifth and final winner of the day was the Irish-bred import Camdus (Street Cry) who returned some of the best sectional times on the nine-race program.
Camdus came from sixth at the 1000 metres to take out the Benchmark 78 (1200m), his fourth win from nine starts to date for owner Paul Fudge’s Waratah Thoroughbreds.
Timed from the 1000 metre point, Camdus clocked 200 metre sections of 10.89, 11.14 (400m in 22.03), 10.86 (600m in 32.89), 11.04 (800m in 43.93) and then 12.21 for his final 200 metres to give the five-year-old gelding a fast 56.14 for his last 1000 metres.
Earlier in the day, the Lindsay Park-trained gelding Shaf (Wanted) impressed on the watch with his win in the Benchmark 90 (1000m) in a time of 57.24.
Shaf, who was having his first run since a successful stint in South Australia where he won four of his seven starts, settled in sixth place, took the lead at the 400 metre mark and then went on to score by a length and a half.
Clocked from the 800 metres, Shaf ran 200 metre sections of 10.54, 10.61 (400m in 21.15), 10.85 (600m in 32.00) prior to running 11.66 for his last 200 metres to give him a final 800 metre time of 43.66.
Shaf was one of two winners on the day for Lindsay Park, who had earlier won the opening race with the fellow Shadwell-raced Zunbaqa (More Than Ready).
Zunbaqa was also returning after a successful South Australian trip, the promising filly having her first Melbourne metropolitan start since two recent wins at Morphettville.
Stepping up in class, Zunbaqa began well from her inside barrier and soon drove through to take the lead.
She then settled well and steadied the tempo before picking up the pace from the 600 metres.
Well-rated by apprentice Dylan Dunn, Zunbaqa clocked a moderate 51.00 for her first 800 metres and put the pressure on her rivals with 200 metres sections of 11.43 and 11.36 (400m in 22.79) and then 12.20 12.20 to give her a final 600 metres in a smart 34.99.
The runner-up Benny Goes Berserk (Street Boss) and the third-placed Decorated Soldier (Snitzel) both did well under the circumstance in filling the minor placings.
The Darren Weir-trained Benny Goes Berserk came from eighth at the 600 metres and was timed to run that section in 34.59 while the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Decorated Soldier fought on well from fifth at the point clocking 34.77, looking suited to further.
Saturday’s Sydney meeting at Randwick was run in very affected conditions with a Heavy10 track seeing small fields lining up in a number of races including the stakes features, The Rosebud (Listed, 1200m) and the Missile Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m).
In The Rosebud a field of seven went to the post which saw the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt Thronum (Snitzel) fight back for a game head victory over Mediterranean (Smart Missile) with the maiden filly Miss Beneteau (Beneteau) running a bold race for a close-up third.
Time for the 1200 metre race was 1:15.75 on a very heavy track, which compared favourably with the Missile Stakes winner Tycoon Tara’s (Written Tycoon) time of 1:15.64.
The former Victorian-trained mare was having her first run since being transferred to new trainers Peter and Paul Snowden, and Tycoon Tara also led in the very heavy conditions before fighting back to defeat the favourite Rebel Dane (California Dane) by a half-length.