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It’s still early in the season but Gary Portelli’s Sejardan has set a solid benchmark for the two-year-old colts with his Breeders’ Plate win and Saturday’s impressive victory in the $1m Inglis Rural Property Golden Gift (1100m).

And again he had to do it the hard way from back in the field off a wide gate.

Punter’s Intelligence sectional data showed the colt easily clocked the fastest last 600m of the race, running 33.72 or two lengths faster than the next best.

He was the only horse to break 11 seconds for the 400m-200m (10.93) and his last 200m of 11.68 was also the race’s best.

He’s earned more than enough prizemoney in two starts to ensure he has a spot in the Golden Slipper, worth $5 million in 2022, and it’ll be interesting to see how he develops with a short break.

It’s likely he’ll next race in the $2 million Inglis Millennium in early February.

The future’s also bright for Golden Gift runner-up Shalatin who has a little bit more to learn about race sense than the winner.

Joe Pride’s youngster ran 34.05 for his last 600m and he was still coming on the line after encountering some traffic in the straight. His last 200m of 11.74 was only 0.06 slower than Sejardan.

If the tracks stay dry then expect Blaze A Trail to work through his grades quite quickly after an impressive first-up win in the Bisley Workwear Handicap (1200m), a distance a bit short of his best.

His last 600m of 33.80 was the second fastest in the race but he showed a nice turn of foot from the 400m-200m running 10.99 and his last 200m of 11.63 was also second fastest. It’s his ability to take up a position and sprint that will win him more races.

The fastest last 600m of the race and fastest last 200m was by Kinloch who ran 33.64 and 11.49 as he made some late ground from the back.

He’s more than capable of winning races if things pan out for him in the run, he has that strong finish but a tendency to be a backmarker doesn’t help.

There were a few runs of note from the Chandon Garden Spritz Handicap (1400m) won by Zoushack.

Runner-up Blesk posted the fastest last 600m of 33.64 as he continued his good form this time in.

Middle distance mare Welsh Legend was first-up and she ran 33.69 for her last 600m into fifth place in a handy return while Media Starguest backed up a nice first-up effort to clock 33.67 despite running eighth.

There’s a race for both horses coming up shortly in the right grade and distance range.

It was a nice return from Point Counterpoint in the Vale Chris Kearns Highway (1500m), running on from last on the turn into fourth with the second fastest last 600m of 34.45, just shy of runner-up Sizzling Cat’s 34.39.

And Travest did more than enough first-up in the Midway Handicap (1300m), he was last on the turn and worked home in 34.05 for his last 600m which was more than a length faster than the next best.

Fastest last 600m: Oh Please Dianna 33.28

Watch Punter’s Intelligence with Ben Way, Brad Davidson and Brad Gray at 7pm on Tuesday on Sky Thoroughbred Central.

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