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Press Statement put a luckless Golden Rose run behind him with an impressive win in the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Settling off the speed in fourth, the Chris Waller-trained runner moved up to the leaders with ease at the 300m and sprinted away to win by three lengths for Hugh Bowman, with Shards in second and Rageese third.
Press Statement returned a career peak Timeform figure of 119+ which is the equal highest of the race along with 2014 winner Shooting To Win, since Court Command in 2006 (120).
The Racing and Sports Field Strength Value (RSFS) indicates the race was below par for a three-year-old Group 2 event and below that of the 2014 renewal, represented by the strength of the placegetters more than that of the winner.
The Racing and Sports sectional time splits indicate the race was run inside race par on the soft 5 track, with the time only slightly slower than the Group 2 Shannon Stakes, also over 1500m which came on a good track.
As Shooting To Win did last year, Press Statement will now line up in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in two weeks time and will certainly be hard to beat with more improvement to come.
Shooting To Win returned a figure of 125 in last year’s renewal and up to the mile now Press Statement looks like he has similar improvement in him, having won over the trip previously.
That said the Stan Fox Stakes has been a good guide to the Caulfield Guineas with three winners taking the double in the last 20 years – Shooting To Win (2014), Lonhro (2001) and Kenwood Melody (1998) while Choisir (2002), Paratroopers (2005) and Manawanui (2011) were placed in both. Econsul unplaced in the 2004 Stan Fox went on to win the Caulfield Guineas in a boil over result at his next start.
Of the beaten brigade, Shards ran to a career peak of 110 with Rageese returning a figure of 106, well below that achieved in the Golden Rose.
Both runners are probably not quite up to Group 1 level at this stage but could measure up in some lesser Group 2/3 races over the coming weeks.
Stablemate Vanbrugh finally ran up to his potential with a very good win in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) over Tatoosh.
Settling off midfield in eighth, Bowman urged Vanbrugh forward approaching the turn and started to run on strongly down the outside.
Taking the lead at the 200m, Vanbrugh kicked clear of his rivals to score an impressive win, and in the process returned a clear peak figure of 114+ well above the 101 achieved when winning at Warwick Farm two starts back.
Running slightly below the 116p achieved by Sweynesse in last years renewal, Vanbrugh will also head towards the Group 1 Spring Champion (2000m) at Randwick on two weeks time as did Sweynesse (third).
That said the Gloaming Stakes is the main lead up race for the Spring Champion Stakes with four of the last five Champion Stakes winners coming through it, Complacent (2013), Dundeel (2012), Dr Doom (2011) and Erewhon (2010), the first two completing the double.
The last three winners of the Spring Champion have all run above 120 so the three-year-old colt will need to improve again and only lightly raced can make the next progression into Group 1 company and could also line up in a race like the Victoria Derby later in the spring.
The RSFS was around par for a three-year-old Group 3 race but well below the 2014 renewal.
Whilst second placegetter Tatoosh ran to a new peak of 107 as did Man Of Choice 103, these runners are probably unlikely to make the step up to Group 1 company anytime soon but unplaced Gold Ambition has Zabeel blood in his veins and is making good headway towards the Victoria Derby.
With all eyes on Catkins and Arabian Gold for the Group 2 Golden Pendant (1400m), The Ron Quinton-trained Peeping showed no ill effect from the Cardiac Arrhythmia suffered in the Sheraco Stakes.
Sam Clipperton rode the four-year-old mare a treat, settling off the pace in fourth before peeling wide on the turn, running on strongly to win by 0.8L over Two Blue and Berry Delicious.
Peeping returned a clear career peak Timeform figure of 112, well above the 102 achieved when runner up in the 2015 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m).
The daughter of Redoute’s Choice has now won five of her 10 starts placing on a further three occasions.
Peeping ran equal to that achieved by Arabian Gold in last years renewal and may continue to run in Group 2 and 3 company with the Group 3 Angst a potential target at Randwick in two weeks time.
Both placegetters Two Blue 109) and Berry Delicious (104) ran new career peak figures with both Catkins and Arabian Gold failing to run on.
Catkins may have been flattened by her big first up effort whilst Arabian Gold was very disappointing when fading to a very distant last.
The sectional time splits indicate it was run slightly inside race par with the RSFS value well below last years renewal.
Vashka showed good improvement off a modest second up effort in the Theo Marks with a strong win in the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m).
The Godolphin runner settled a lot closer on this occasion and was able to hold off the fast finishing God’s In Him to score a narrow win with Messene not far away in third.
Vashka returned a peak Timeform figure of 110, two pounds above the 108 achieved when third in the Show County first up at Randwick.
The five-year-old gelding has now won five of his six starts at Rosehill Gardens and having had the 15 starts, not sure how much more improvement he has to come.
The RSFS was the second highest of the day, behind the Stan Fox Stakes with the times indicating it was run marginally inside race par.
Vashka ran two pounds below that of 2014 winner Rock Sturdy and you would think he will be hard pressed measuring up in Group 1 company off his recent figures.
Second placegetter God’s In Him ran very well for second returning a clear peak figure of 109 whilst Messene with the 58.5kg was arguably the run of the race returning a figure of 120, after giving the winner 5.5kg.
Potentially now backing up into the Group 1 Epsom on Saturday, that effort will certainly bring the Team Hawkes runner into contention.
One of the most impressive wins of the day came from the Peter Moody-trained Amelie’s Star in the Group 3 Colin Stephen Stakes (2400m).
Some 20 pounds out of the Handicap, the four-year-old mare blew away her rivals to win by 3.3L and in the process return a Timeform figure of 113+, 18 pounds above her win at Warwick Farm two back.
The figure achieved was the sixth highest of the race in the last 25 years and she is certainly one to keep an eye on going forward.
The RSFS was on par for a Group 3 race, with the sectional splits indicating in was run below par, however the last 600m of 34.44 well inside standard.
It is a pity that Amelie;s Star will not line up in the Metropolitan (not nominated) as her rating says she would win it. The last three mares to win the Colin Stephen Stakes all went on to win the Metropolitan and Amelie’s Star’s Timeform rating was at their level – Coco Cobanna (2000), In Joyment (1998), Hula Flight (1997).