Latest News

The conditions may have been testing but unbeaten mare Without Parallel put herself in the Kosciuszko picture with a dominant TAB Highway win at Rosehill last Saturday.

While it’s easy to get carried away with the margin, perhaps slightly flattered by her position in running, the times stacked up against the 1200m Benchmark race a couple of races later.

Punter’s Intelligence data showed the four-year-old ran the 1200m in 1:13.73 which was 0.02 faster than Stardeel so that’s a tick to suggest she can make that step out of Highway grade.

The Highway was run a lot faster early, with the first 600m in 37.21 compared to 37.87 for Stardeel’s race, so it’s no surprise the later sectionals were a little slower.

Without Parallel has run 36.39 for her last 600m and the significant part of that was the 400m-200m in 11.90 where she was the only horse in the Highway to break 12 seconds.

It’ll be interesting to see how she fares as the races get harder in the lead up to a potential start in the Kosciuskzo.

There may have only been four horses in the NSW Jockeys Association Handicap (1300m) but it was hard to miss War Eternal’s late charge.

He clearly lost his action coming to the turn after appearing to travel okay and it took him quite a while to balance up and run on, and despite that he’s still run 11.68 from the 400m-200m and a race best 12.31 for the last 200m.

The Novelist skipped away from him from the 600m-400m running 11.72 to his 11.80 and that contributed a great deal to the winner holding him off.

Given War Eternal was only second-up there should be further improvement, and noting that he’s yet to win on a good track it’s no surprise to see him in Saturday’s Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m).

Juja Kibo produced a huge last 200m to get up and win the Jockeys Appreciation Handicap (2000m) after it appeared Captain Maverick had stolen the race around the turn.

The two horses clocked an identical final 600m of 37.30 but the breakdown is interesting.

Between the 600m and 400m they’ve run similar times with Juja Kibo’s 12.90 just ahead of Captain Maverick’s 12.95 but Tommy Berry went for home between the 400m-200m running 12.25.

That was about two lengths faster than Juja Kibo’s 12.56 as he became strung up behind horses.

Once clear the Ciaron Maher-trained gelding stormed home in 12.38 which was three and a half lengths faster than Captain Maverick who ran 12.83.

Whether he can be as effective on firmer going as he rises in class remains to be seen but this was also his first go on a heavy track.

There were a number of forgive runs, or hidden runs that look better on paper than to the eye, and one of those came from the lightly raced Convergent in the Midway Handicap (1400m).

He’s run seventh but his 37.17 last 600m was the fifth best and his last 200m of 12.73 was the fourth fastest as he continued to run on despite not looking too comfortable.

Useapin had some excuses and she’s run the fastest last 600m in the Congratulations Braith Nock Handicap (1200m) of 35.66 and fastest last 200m of 12.04 in fourth place.

Balkans is another whose finishing position doesn’t give him any credit, he’s run the fastest last 600m of 35.47 in the Congratulations Chris Waller Handicap (1100m) at his first run back.

Fastest last 600m: Pippie Beach 35.24

Watch Punter’s Intelligence at 7pm on Tuesdays on Sky Thoroughbred Central.

Click here to download the free Punter's Intelligence app