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Celestial Legend has always promised to be one of the top-line three-year-olds, and he lived up to the hype on Saturday at Rosehill Gardens.

The Les Bridge-trained galloper went to a new level, producing a career peak figure, and he bolted in to win the feature Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m).

It was a combination of a perfect ride by Kerrin McEvoy, but the colt showed his true ability, and Punter's Intelligence recorded his overall time/late sectional strength.

He stalked an even tempo, built momentum in the straight and once clear over the final furlong; he reeled off one of the fastest final 200m splits of the entire meeting in 11.24.

His overall time in 1:23.69 was 3.5-4 lengths faster than the TAB Highway (1400m) and 2.5 lengths quicker than the Benchmark 100 over 1400m.

Further, he went through the line full of energy and was dominant late, indicating he will be primed to peak in the upcoming Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m).

Runner-up Encap was brave in defeat after being caught three-wide out on a limb throughout, and he ran a strong 600m-200m split in 22.67 before peaking on his run.

Tom Kitten started favourite and is looking for more ground. The Godolphin galloper got into an awkward spot, wasn't suited to the race shape and ran on solidly. He ran the second-fastest final 600m split of the race in 34.19.

Ceolwulf returned well and ran the race's second-fastest final 200m sectional in 11.50.

The Waterhouse & Bott partnership continues to dominate the two-year-old races with stablemates Straight Charge and Espionage running the quinella in the Group 2 Silver Slipper (1100m).

Straight Charge led at a moderate tempo, running the first 500m in 30.56, and there was plenty of merit in the back end of the clock.

Further, the race rated well relative to the day after adjustments, and the margins confirmed the quality.

He controlled the speed and accelerated hard, making a winning break between the 400m-200m section, running 10.98 for that split.

Espionage effort was full of merit after tracking the speed and raced slightly fresh.

To his credit, he knuckled down hard late, and his final few bounds were strong. He ran the fastest final 200m split of the meeting in 11.12. Expect him to improve sharply in the Group 2 Todman stakes (1200m).

Group 1 winner Zougotcha returned in style, and although having every chance, she was back to her best to score in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m).

The mare stalked the speed, always looking in control, and James McDonald just let her amble up to race favourite Lady Laguna before asking for a superior effort.

She sprinted hard, recording one of the meetings fastest 400m-200m splits in 10.92 and maintained a strong finishing speed to the line.

Vienna Princess has come back well and ran a solid 33.71 for her final 600m and will only benefit from the run.

Lekvarte was a flashing light after having too much to do, and she recorded the race's fastest final 600m/400m/200m splits in 33.50/22.21/11.31.

It's worth noting import More Felons, who resumed in his second prep under the guidance of Chris Waller and showed a strong closing speed to win the Parramatta Cup (1900m).

He was checked/blocked at key stages and forced into the inferior ground but picked up well to score, running his final 200m in 11.37.

Fastest last 600m: Shadows Of Love 32.96

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