3 minute read

We saw a world class sprinting performance at Moonee Valley on Saturday while the Golden Rose picture became a touch clearer.

Imperatriz has strangehold on Spring

This was a serious win by star New Zealand mare Imperatriz in the Group 2 Mcewen Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley. Having never run below 1100m, the query was whether she'd be sharp enough but she let go with an enormous turn of foot between the 400-200m, clocking 10.92 for an overall time of 56.68 and breaking the track record set by Inundation less than a year ago.

Imperatriz's peak Timeform rating came at her most recent run, rated at 124 in her Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) win which made her arguably the best sprinting mare in the world and she's run to the same number first up on Saturday- 124.

Looking at the history of the Mcewen Stakes, there have been some world class sprinters to have won it. Nature Strip, Russian Revolution, Chautauqua, Buffering, Hay List and Nicconi  stand out.

Imperatriz has rated higher than every single one of them. Hay List was the next best at 122+ with Chautauqua also at 122, Nature Strip 121, Russian Revolution and Nicconi at 120 and Buffering at 118.

Theoretically, if she were to be put in a weight-for-age race and receive a 2kg mare's allowance, her past two runs would beat anything Giga Kick has done in his career and just edge out I Wish I Win in the Group 1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m).

It's not that simple, but it goes to show you just how good she is. Recent top mare Bella Nipotina won the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) last year by nearly 5 lengths and 'only' had to run to 120.

Similarly, Coolangatta won the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) and Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m), running to 116 and 118 respectively.

All that points to Imperatriz deserving to be very short in betting all Spring. With Melbourne on the agenda and opting to bypass the mountain, there's every chance she wins three more Group Ones at her next three starts and should be deep in the red for the Moir and Manikato.
 

La Vie En Rose (for some)

A few key lead ups to Saturday week's Group 1 Golden Rose were run and won on Saturday. Charm Stone proved far too good in Melbourne despite a wide run, Cylinder bounced back to his best with a nervy win and Encap broke through for a deserved win at Group 3 level.

Cylinder regained outright favouritism for the race, having fallen in first up in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at $1.50 and running to just 107. He's improved seven pounds on Saturday in the Group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m) at 114, just one pound shy of his best.

His peak of 115 has come in both the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) and Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) and the post-race narrative is that he would've been a moral beaten had he not got out in time.

There's every chance he could've rated a bit higher but he's going to need to because a typical Golden Rose takes around 120 to win. Usually I'd be looking to take him on but I can't quite see what beats him. I'd be doubtful anything can turn the tables from Saturday- only potentially Militarize out to 1400m. He's run to 112 first up with a peak of 115 in his two Group 1 wins.

Other than he and Shinzo, who has to be some query running first up at 1400m, it's tricky to see where the left of field danger comes from.

Encap was a nice winner of the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Stakes (1400m) running a new peak of 107 but would need to take big strides again, and Charm Stone, for all she's done right this preparation, has run to ratings of 105 and 107.

She raced wide in winning the Group 3 Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) but really she's beaten a pretty average field and the time isn't great. It was quicker overall than Steparty in the race prior but they went over a second slower to the 800m and came home okay whereas Charm Stone has basically just run home in an average class benchmark.

She's going to be kept relatively short in Golden Rose betting due to her SP profile and general 'boom' but I think she'd need to improve a fair bit and 1400m still looks a niggle.

Also just touching on Steparty, he's run to 105 first up which is equal to his win before a spell. They absolutely walked in front and overall I think the race is very suspect. He's unbeaten and doing plenty right but hasn't gone close to troubling Veight (111) for Guineas favouritism with Militarize also right on track.