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He was there to be beaten, the sectionals showed he was entitled to be run down but all honours to Nature Strip for his gutsy TAB Everest win.

Punter’s Intelligence sectional data revealed Nature Strip ran his first 600m in 34.23, six lengths faster than The Kosciuszko and eight lengths faster than the Sydney Stakes over the same trip.

He established his lead with a 10.30 from the 1000m-800m and broke 11 seconds between the 800m-600m and 600m-400m so while he appeared to be loping along under control he was still humming.

So he was there to be run down. His last 600m of 34.84 was only the seventh fastest of the race and his last 200m of 12.56 was also seventh best.

Obviously Masked Crusader had a hard luck story but most of that is due to his penchant for slow starts. His last 600m of 33.82 was clearly the best of the TAB Everest, by two lengths, and he was the only horse to break 12 seconds for his last 200m (11.84).

The run of 2020 winner Classique Legend was enormous and you’d have to wonder what could have been had he been able to get some racing under his belt before the Everest.

He matched Masked Crusader’s 400m-200m of 11.03, which was visible as he loomed into the race, but clearly knocked up with a last 200m of 12.26. That was clearly the second fastest but almost three lengths slower than the runner-up.

The TAB Everest was run in 1:09.11, three lengths faster than the Sydney Stakes won by Big Parade in 1:09.51 and the winner will likely mix it with a few Everest horses in the Classique Legend Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on October 30.

He was strong on the line running a last 600m of 33.62.

Kementari showed he is racing in super form, while he just missed a place he clocked the fastest last 600m of 33.32 and fastest last 200m of 11.45. Few horses made significant ground in the race so his effort suggested he can win again this spring.

Perhaps the Classique Legend Stakes will suit him too.

A few horses behind Kementari are worth noting from a sectional perspective. Fituese clocked a last 600m of 33.37 in finishing sixth, her last 200m of 11.47 was just outside Kementari’s race best split.

Wheelhouse resumed with a handy effort in seventh, he ran 33.47 for his last 600m and will appreciate much further than 1200m. Chat came from last running 33.44 for his last 600m into eighth and behind him was Enchanted Heart who posted 33.99 for her final 600m. So there were some handy beaten efforts.

No doubt the horse to follow from the $1.3m The Kosciuszko (1200m) is Edit, who turned last and finished in a dead heat for fourth. He clocked easily the race’s best last 600m of 33.90 and was the only horse to break 11 seconds from the 400m-200m running 10.90.

He’s shaping as an ideal Country Championships horse for the autumn but at 1400m if he runs again this prep he should be hard to beat.

Chris Waller has a couple of handy fillies in Fangirl and Roots who ran one-two in the Listed Reginald Allen (1400m), the latter producing the race’s fastest last 600m of 34.44 and last 200m of 11.70.

She had a slightly more checkered passage than the winner and it was only her second start so there’s plenty of upside.

Fangirl clocked 34.52 for her last 600m and both fillies were clearly superior, some four lengths faster than the next best.

Fastest last 600m: Casino Lord 33.24

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

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