Two-Year-Old Colt Doubt I’m Dreaming Runs Fast Sectional Times In Winning Debut
After being eased from barrier six by Jamie Mott, Doubt I’m Dreaming settled near last in the eight-horse field in the St Albans Stakes (Listed, 1200m).
He improved nicely between runners at the 600 metres, before switching deep rounding the home turn. Doubt I’m Dreaming then showed a sparkling turn of foot, dashed to the front at the 100 metres and then drew right away to score easily by two and three-quarter lengths.
Time for the 1200 metres on a Good 4 track was 1:10.76 which compared most favourably with Silent Sedition’s (War Chant) time of 1:10.11 in the main race on the card, the William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) being only 0.65 seconds slower.
But it was Doubt I’m Dreaming’s sectional times that really took the eye.
Clocked from the 1000 metres, he returned 200 metre sections of 11.25, 11.52, 11.44, 11.37 and 11.11, which means he ran his last 1000 metres in 56.69, last 800 metres in 45.44, last 600 metres in 33.92 with his final 400 metres in 22.48 – impressive times especially for a colt winning on debut.
On The Watch was particularly taken by the fact that Doubt I’m Dreaming came off a fast mid-race tempo but was capable of then producing his final 200 metres as the fastest of any of his sections, far from a regular occurrence under those circumstances, an indication that he is a quality colt.
In the aforementioned William Reid Stakes, the Andrew Noblet-trained mare Silent Sedition put up a strong effort in winning, yet again being trapped deep as she was when an excellent second in the Coolmore Classic (registered as T A D Kennedy Stakes) (Gr 1, 1500m) at Rosehill at her prior start.
After settling in fifth place, caught wide from barrier ten, Silent Sedition raced to the front on passing the 100 metres and then fought back gamely to hold off the late-closing Hellbent (I Am Invincible) by a short half head.
Silent Sedition’s sectional times were really smart but they also emphasised the merit of Doubt I’m Dreaming’s victory earlier in the night, with most of that colt’s closing times actually being superior.
Clocked from the 1000 metres, Silent Sedition returned 200 metre sections of 10.71, 11.11, 11.23, 11.80 and 11.86, which means she ran her last 1000 metres in 56.71, last 800 metres in 46.00, last 600 metres in 34.89 with her final 400 metres in 23.66.
The deserved victory for Silent Sedition was her first at Group One level, after being runner up twice previously, in a record that includes four other stakes successes with six wins in total from 16 starts with prize money earnings of $961,650.
Group One racing continued at Rosehill on Saturday with the Ciaron Maher-trained mare Jameka (Myboycharlie) achieving her third win at that level with an outstanding win in The BMW (registered as H E Tancred Stakes) (Gr 1, 2400m).
Ridden skilfully by Hugh Bowman, she travelled kindly in second place, many lengths behind the free-running leader, Lasqueti Spirit (Beneteau) before dashing to the front at the 300 metres. She then raced away to score by six and a half lengths, handling the Heavy 9 track well.
Time for the 2400 metre journey was only 2:35.65 on the rain affected track with the first 1800 metres in 1:57.78 (13.08 200m rate) with the final 600 metres in 37.87 (12.62 200m rate).
Jameka’s closing sectional times were very sound in the conditions with her last 1000 metres in 61.57, last 800 metres in 49.08, last 600 metres in 37.04 with her final 400 metres in 24.59.
In the other Group One race on the card, the Victorian-trained filly Montoya’s Secret (High Chaparral) advanced quickly in grade to take out the Vinery Stud Stakes (registered as Storm Queen Stakes) (Gr 1, 2000m).
Montoya’s Secret fought back to win by a long head from the late-finishing Nurse Kitchen (Savabeel) in a time of only 2:09.73 on the Heavy 9 track, the first 1400 metres clocking 1:32.54 (13.22 200m rate) with the final 600 metres in 37.19 (12.39 200m rate).
The closing sectional times were quite interesting from an upcoming ATC Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) perspective with Montoya’s Secret clocking 63.46 (last 1000m), 49.43 (last 800m) 36.52 (last 600m), 24.05 (last 400m) and 12.18 (last 200m).
While the runner up Nurse Kitchen produced the better times in an excellent trial for that fillies’ Group One feature at Randwick on Saturday week, by clocking 63.14 (last 1000m), 49.12 (last 800m), 36.28 (last 600m) 23.83 (last 400m) and noteworthy 11.78 for her last 200 metres, the fastest for that section all day.
In the following race, the Emancipation Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) the John Thompson-trained mare Zanbagh (Bernardini) appreciated the Heavy 9 track and put up a smart effort in winning the race for a second successive year.
Having her third run this preparation, she had a nice trip in fourth place, and came with a perfectly timed run under Hugh Bowman to claim victory from the Ron Quinton-trained pair Daysee Doom (Domesday) and Dixie Blossoms (Street Sense).
Zanbagh’s closing sectionals were some of the best at the meeting with her final 1000 metres in 60.88, last 800 metres in 48.25, last 600 metres in 36.04, last 400 metres in 23.87 with her final 200 metres in a smart 11.98.