Winx’s Amazing Win Also Produced Amazing Sectional Times
Champion mare Winx’s (Street Cry) amazing first up win in Saturday’s Warwick Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Randwick also produced some amazing closing sectional times.
After missing the start badly, Winx was not only back in last place in the eight-horse field, but due to the leaders setting a moderate tempo (first 800m in 49.09), she was in a race that had developed into a sprint home which saw the leaders clocking the last 600 metres in a brilliant 32.87.
Yet Winx produced a whirlwind and determined burst to grab a half-neck victory over her Chris Waller-trained stablemate Foxplay (Foxwedge) to the delight of virtually all that witnessed her achievement in registering her 18th successive win.
And in keeping with Murphy’s Law, the only horse not officially clocked by the Australian Turf Club’s Longines timing system on the nine-race Randwick card all day was Winx, her timing clip apparently being dislodged when she was fractious in the barriers.
But Vince Accardi’s Daily Sectionals did subsequently record her times which showed that Winx had clocked one of, if not the fastest, last 600 metres run at Randwick.
Winx’s 200 metre breakdown (from the 600 metre point) being 10.92, 10.36 and 10.70 to give her a final 600 metre time of 31.98.
On The Watch hastens to add that times at Randwick were abnormal due to the extremely windy conditions, but that comment aside, Winx was facing an enormous task and she delivered with flying colours.
Since this column commenced in August 2012, the fastest 600 metres sectional our analyses has revealed was recorded by the unbeaten champion Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) in winning the 2013 Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) at Flemington.
Black Caviar (clocked from the 800m to the 200m) ran 10.37, 10.21 and 10.17 to give her an amazing 600 metre sectional time of 30.75 – we have seen none faster.
That is 1.23 seconds faster than Winx but it is still very interesting to compare the two great mares, even if Black Caviar’s time was down the straight course at Flemington in a 1000 metre race while Winx was in a 1400 metre race and she came around a bend.
Winx will now head to the Chelmsford Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m) at Randwick on Saturday week, prior to running in the George Main Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) a fortnight later on 16 September, before heading to Melbourne in pursuit of her third successive Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) victory.
Earlier in the Randwick program the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained colt Dracarys (Snitzel) staged a very promising effort in winning the Up And Coming Stakes (Gr 3, 1300m).
Having his fourth race start and his second run this preparation, Dracarys settled back in sixth place, tracking a fast pace before running on gamely to score narrowly but impressively and in very fast time (albeit wind assisted).
Time for the 1300 metre journey was 1:14.76 (11.50 200m rate), equivalent to 1400 metres in 1:20.51 and Dracarys was clocked to run his last 600 metres in 33.08 with his final 200 metres in 21.90.
He defeated the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt Gold Standard (Sebring), who also put up a very good effort in finishing a long head second, a slow start proving costly.
Gold Standard was only having his third race start and he showed his potential with a fast mid-race section of 55.16, when clocked from the 1200 metre point to the 200 metre mark, adding merit to his performance.
In the opening race at Randwick, a small but talented group of fillies fought out the Silver Shadow Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) with victory going to the Lindsay Park-trained Formality (Fastnet Rock).
The race developed into a sprint home, Formality leading with the Godolphin-raced filly Alizee (Sepoy) at her girth, and they were timed to cover the first 600 metres of the 1200 metre journey in a moderate 35.83.
The pace lifted quickly from that point, with 200 metre sections of 11.21, 10.55 and 10.86 to give Formality a fast last 600 metres in 32.62 in holding off Alizee to score by a long head.
Alizee was timed to run her last 600 metres in 32.49 while the Bjorn Baker-trained Champagne Cuddles (Not A Single Doubt) also showed her quality making late ground to finish only a long head further back in third, clocking the quickest last 600 metres of the race in 32.26.
Formality, Alizee and Champagne Cuddles look set for move encounters at stakes level over the spring.
Another three-year-old to impress On The Watch on the weekend was the Ciaron Maher-trained colt Jukebox (Snitzel) who scored a very good first up win in the Vain Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) at Caulfield to remain unbeaten in three starts.
After travelling nicely in fifth place, one off the rails, Jukebox came with a strong late run to score by a half neck, seemingly with something in hand at the post.
Time for the 1100 metre journey, on a Soft 6 track, was 1:04.87 (11.79 200m rate), equivalent to 1200m metres in 1:10.76.
But it was Jukebox’s closing sectional times that really took the eye, with his last 800 metres in 45.63, last 600 metres in 34.49, last 400 metres in 22.86 with his final 200 metres in 11.63 – some of the best sectionals of the day.