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It was a hard watch for backers of odds-on favourite Tuileries at Rosehill on Saturday but taking the circumstances into account her performance was outstanding in finishing fourth.

That’s no help if you took the $1.80 in the Myplates Handicap (1200m), as the way the race was run made it very difficult for her to win and to be beaten three-quarters of a length speaks to her ability.

There were three 1200m races run at Rosehill and she found herself in the slowest of them – the winner Useapin scored in 1:11.63, the two-year-olds ran 1:11.46 (a length faster) in the opening race and Yoshinobu ran 1:10:60 (six lengths faster) in his Benchmark 78 win.

When Tuileries drew the outside she was always going to be conservatively ridden and when they ran 38 seconds for the first 600m her fate was basically sealed.

In the two-year-old event the first 600m was 36.27 (about 10 lengths faster) and the Benchmark 78’s first half was 36.60 (about eight lengths faster).

Punter’s Intelligence recorded Tuileries’ last 600m in a sizzling 32.99, just over a length faster than the winner who settled a couple of lengths ahead of her.

She’s run 11.03 for her final 200m and covered more ground than her opposition (1207.6m) so she’s been excellent in defeat and should be forgiven going to her second-up run, especially if she draws a little kinder and/or finds a race with some tempo.

While on the two-year-old race, the three placegetters look to have a future.

Without Peer and Spice Prawn made their runs together down the outside clocking 34.41 and 34.33 respectively for their last 600m while Reflect was outsprinted by them early in the straight before dashing into third with a last 200m of 11.62 (0.01 outside the runner-up’s race best).

The sectionals out of the feature Asahi Super Dry Winter Challenge (1500m) look fairly similar for all 10 runners and that explains why there wasn’t a lot of change in their positions through the race.

Save pretty much for third placed Saltcoats who ducked through late from just off midfield to grab the minor running a race best 34.18 for his last 600m.

There was only 0.67 between the fastest and slowest final 600m so it’s no surprise that the leader Accredited (34.49) and eventual winner Robusto (34.23), who settled on his back, fought the finish out.

Behind them Phearson again raced without luck from a wide gate, though he did find some cover on Estadio Mestalla’s back, and he’s closed off well in 34.27. He might be close to a breakthrough if he can draw a barrier.

Disneck has a habit of being a sectional star when he races and he did it once again in the Schweppes Sprint (1100m) as he clocked the fastest last 600m of the meeting in 32.57.

He ran on from last into sixth placing and was the only horse to break 33 seconds in the race, running just under three lengths faster than the next best.

We know Disneck has quite a liking for Randwick and 1200m so this was a more than handy return.

That next best was Godolphin galloper Corniche, now moved to Ciaron Maher, who served notice he could be getting back to his best with a slashing third at his first run since just the one start last prep in October. He’s run 33.02 for his last 600m.

Out of the Midway Handicap (1300m) there’s a hidden run from Rolling Magic despite finishing second last in the 10 horse field.

Unlike his first-up win where he drew one and was on the back of the speed, this time he jumped from gate nine and found himself back last on the turn. He’s run 33.40 for his last 400m which was 0.04 outside the race’s best by runner-up Denman Star, who was fourth on the turn.

Watch for him stepping up in distance now and if he can draw a little better.

Fastest last 600m: Disneck 32.57

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