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It was virtually impossible for Fiddlers Green to make it back-to-back wins this preparation the way the Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1400m) was run at Rosehill on Saturday but to be beaten under a length shows how well he’s returned.

The Annabel & Rob Archibald-trained gelding was dictated to by drawing the outside back and while he jumped okay there was little choice but to drift back and he found himself last.

Unfortunately for Fiddlers Green there wasn’t much of a struggle for the early lead and Puntin was able to wrest control quite comfortably.

Punter’s Intelligence data showed Puntin was able to run his first 800m in six lengths, or one second, slower time than the 1400m event that followed, won by Changing Colours.

So there was something of a sprint home and in that final 600m Puntin closed that six length margin to two lengths by the finish.

Fiddlers Green has clocked easily the race’s fastest last 600m of 33.42, which was six lengths faster than the winner, and his final 200m of 11.20 again was the race’s best.

He’s at his best from 1400m to a mile and on good and soft ground, and on the evidence of both runs this time in he can win more races this preparation especially if he can draw favourably.

Sly Boots finished just alongside Fiddlers Green at the finish as he produced a nice first-up performance, running a last 600m of 33.70 but a final 200m of 11.21. He’ll continue to improve with racing.

There should be some strong form coming out of the TAB Handicap (1100m) where King’s Secret bounced back to his best to score a strong win.

He’s clocked a last 600m of 33.19 as he rounded them up from midfield and he’s run the equal fastest last 200m of 11.22 so he’s racing at the top of his game with three wins from five starts this time in.

Spywire was resuming as a gelding and his effort was sound given he didn’t get all the room he would have liked at a vital stage. He’s still run 33.50 for his last 600m and his last 200m of 11.25 was of course just outside the race best.

His stablemate Berezka clocked the race’s fastest last 600m of 33.18 and matched King’s Secret’s last 200m as she worked home well from last into fourth placing. She’s eligible for easier races.

The race favourite Livin’ Thing may have found himself further back than desired, he made a dash of 10.82 from the 400m-200m and his last 600m of 33.35 says he’s still run well.

Mickey’s Medal was put out of play early when he wasn’t the best away in the Schweppes Handicap (1500m) but he’d run a huge race to finish right on the placegetters’ heels in fourth.

He clocked 33.65 for his last 600m, the only horse to break 34 seconds, and had a bit too much to do given how the leader Zouatica strung the field out.

Belvedere Boys put himself into the Grafton Cup picture, if connections head that way, with his second placing in the Listed McKell Cup (2000m).

While he just missed behind the heavily backed Elamaz, he’s comfortably run the fastest last 600m of the race in 34.18 and his last 200m of 11.49 was a length faster than the next best.

He was only second-up and the only horse to make significant ground on the winner in the race so he’s going to be hitting his peak in the next couple of starts.

Elamaz himself has done a strong job to win first-up off a decent break at a trip he’d not previously tackled, he picked up nicely from running 12.16 from the 800m-600m to 11.49 from the 600m-400m and sustaining it with 11.43 from the 400m-200m.

It won’t surprise if we don’t see him again until sometime in August.

Fastest last 600m: Slinky 32.88

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