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Clearly Innocent has continued his strong form this campaign with a maiden Group 1 victory in the Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
On a heavy track that saw most fields well strung out at the finish, Clearly Innocent settled back in the pack before running on strongly down the outside to claim a three length win over Jungle Edge in second with Counterattack well back in third.
Clearly Innocent who has now won nine of his 15 career starts returned a new career peak Timeform figure of 121, 10 pounds above his last start win in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes at Scone.
The Kris Lees-trained runner returned the highest winning figure of the race since Your Song in 2013 who returned a Timeform figure of 122 (Formerly the BTC Cup).
Clearly Innocent was also the fifth colt or gelding to win the race in a row, Sea Siren the last of the fairer sex to win in 2012.
Clearly Innocent who will now likely progress to the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) ran one pound higher than 2016 winner Malaguerra and lightly raced for a five-year-old continues to improve.
The last horse to complete the BTC-Stradbroke double was Thorn Park in 2004 and with the Stradbroke now at Doomben over 1350m that certainly brings Clearly Innocent into play.
Of the beaten runners Jungle Edge ran to 111, five pounds below his BRC Sprint win with Counterattack in third running to 98, well below the 119 he ran to in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000.
Order Again did just enough to hold out Volatile Mix in the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) in what was a tight head bobbing finish.
Coming off strong form this campaign, The Brian Smith-trained runner made good ground in the straight to claim his first group success with Volatile Mix running well again for second with Violate third.
Order Again, who looks a promising stayer going forward ran to a new career peak Timeform figure of 109, five pounds above his second placing to Shocking Luck in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate the start prior.
The three-year-old Ifraaj gelding ran to the same figure as 2016 winner Mackintosh, the equal highest since Hawkspur in 2013 (111p).
Order Again also continued the strong run of geldings to win the race, now eight in a row with Saint Minerva the last filly to win in 2009.
The racing and sports field strength value of 107 was slightly higher than last years renewal which saw Mackintosh beat Cylinder Beach over 2000m at Doomben.
Of the placegetters, last start Group 1 winner Volatile Mix was very unlucky not to win and ran to 109, the same figure he returned in the South Australian Derby with Violate in third running to a new career peak figure of 105.
The New Zealand-trained Melody Belle was able to take advantage from a good run off the pace to win the Group 2 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) by just under five lengths.
The daughter of commands drew away from her rivals from the 300m to complete a terrific victory over Taking Aim in second with Pierata third.
Melody Belle ran to a new career peak Timeform figure of 112+, two pounds above her previous win in the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes at Awapuni.
Melody Belle returns a Timeform figure three pounds above 2016 winner Attention even before the filles claim and ran seven pounds above Look To The Stars in 2015 who was the last filly to win the race.
No filly had won the Sires before that since Virage De Fortune in 2005 who ran to 118 when beating Upilio and Testafiable.
The New Zealand-trained horse is the first kiwi runner to win the race in 31 years, Mr Shannon the last in 1986.
Melody Belle looks like she should be able to run out a strong 1600m in the Group 1 JJ Atkins transferred to Doomben on June 10.
The last horse to complete the Sires’-JJ Atkins double was Sizzling in 2012 who ran to 117 when winning the JJ Atkins.
Of the beaten runners Taking Aim in second ran to a new peak figure of 102, two pounds above his Group 3 Memorial Classic win the start prior with Pierata in third also running to a new career peak of 98.