Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Broadsiding’s (Too Darn Hot {GB}) impressive G1 Golden Rose victory has rated 3l superior to Growing Empire’s (Zoustar) runner-up finish in the G1 Manikato S. As we dive into the sectionals and ratings, it becomes clear that Broadsiding is shaping up to be one of the most exciting prospects of his generation.
Godolphin’s Broadsiding became the first horse to win the G1 Golden Rose resuming from a spell. His time of 1.22:52 is just over 1l faster than the Group 1 benchmark at Rosehill. His last 400 metres in a slick 22.28s ranked eighth for the meeting.
But there’s a lot to unpack when assessing his future. Firstly, we note the colt’s strong last 1200 metres. And this coupled with the fact he beat the Group 1 benchmark is a good indicator he will be better suited up in trip. He clocked in 1.08:74 for his last 1200 metres, ranking eighth for the day.
No doubt Broadsiding will improve
Let’s go deeper into his sectionals and focus on his 200-metre splits. There were seven x 200-metre splits and he broke 11 seconds just twice. Between the 1200 metres and 1000 metres he went 10.92s and then again between the 400 metres and 200 metres with a 10.88s before fading with an 11.40s close.
James McDonald in his post-race interview said the son of Too Darn Hot (GB) was “sucking in the big ones” halfway up the straight. Broadsiding’s sectionals support this and there is no doubt he will improve.
Broadsiding’s Golden Rose victory rated 92 with us. To post this mark first-up as a spring 3-year-old is quite the feat. Fitness alone will get him to 94 and 95 this preparation. His former stablemate Anamoe rated 96 when he won the Caulfield Guineas and he went down narrowly in the Cox Plate at his next start. Should Broadsiding hit the 95-mark, it should make him the best of his generation.
Quick side note for Cox Plate fans – Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) ran a 94 on Friday night winning the G2 Feehan S. but has a peak of 99!
Golden Rose runner-up Traffic Warden (Street Boss {USA}) looks a lovely The Everest prospect. He’s rated a fraction down off his first-up win in the Run To The Rose (1200 metres) indicating the shorter trip might be more to his liking. Godolphin tried a similar plan with Cylinder last year. After winning the Run To The Rose, he placed third in the Golden Rose before a fifth in The Everest.
Worth noting Traffic Warden rated 3l better than Cylinder off their respective Run To The Rose victories. We see Traffic Warden running top three in The Everest this year.
One 3-year-old who is dodging The Everest is Growing Empire, who ran a gallant second to Southport Tycoon (Written Tycoon) in Friday’s G1 Manikato S. (1200 metres) at Moonee Valley.
There were four x 1200-metre races on the night. Here are the first 600-metre times;
33.9s - Race 1, Open 3YO H.
34.4s - Race, 2 BM84 H.
35.12s - Group 3 - 3YO Fillies
34.3s - Group 1 WFA
The Manikato S. was run slower than the 3YO Open H. and almost identical to the BM84 event won by Baraqiel (Snitzel), who is a very nice animal and better than BM84 grade.
Southport Tycoon produced the fastest last 400 metres and 200 metres of the night to rate 91 with us (we elected to give him a 2l bonus). Whilst this won’t rate in the top Group 1 performances of 2024, we do note the uncommon versatility of this entire now with 90+ ratings at both 1200 metres and 1600 metres. Growing Empire rated an 89 on my ratings system, which won’t win an Everest. But he is off to the Coolmore Stud S. won last year by Ozzmosis with an 88 rating - albeit this is lower than usual for the Group 1 feature.
Emerging stars at Moonee Valley
Still, on the 3-year-olds at Moonee Valley, Evaporate (NZ) (Per Icanto {USA}) won his fourth-straight race by taking out the G2 Stutt S. (1600 metres). The Hayes-trained gelding clocked 1.38:28, which is 1l slower than the Group 2 average. Given his last 200 metres was slower than benchmark, ranking only 50th for the night, it’s hard to see him troubling Broadsiding in the Caulfield Guineas.
Stutt S. runner-up, Henlein (Dundeel {NZ}), lacked zip at the mile, posting flat sectionals but we note he clocked the fifth-fastest last 1200 metres of the night and made his run in lane five on a night when no winner came outside lane four. Our in-house projections indicate this Dundeel (NZ) colt would be suited in an AAMI Vase (2040 metres) on Cox Plate Day. A win there surely makes him one of the horses to beat a week later in the Victoria Derby?
Bellatrix Star (Star Witness) took out the G3 Scarborough S. (1200 metres), her first victory on Good ground and a positive sign for the spring. The Kiwi filly sprinted hard off a moderate tempo clocking the eighth fastest last 400 metres at the meeting. Her overall time beat the class benchmark, an adequate performance given they went through the first 600 metres 2l slower than average.
Zeitung (Exceed And Excel) for Godolphin flew home for an unlucky fourth beaten 2.7l. Only Southport Tycoon went quicker over the last 400 metres and 200 metres than her. We saw something of note in our analysis of Zeitung’s sectionals that is worth mentioning. Her two fastest splits were between the 800-600 metres and 200-metre post. Both these splits are located in areas on the track where horses run in a straight line. We are popping her into our blackbook for the Flemington carnival, the G3 Red Roses (1100 metres) has her name written all over it.
Noteworthy mentions
Perspiration’s (Too Darn Hot {GB}) victory in the Listed Heritage S. (1100 metres) at Rosehill cannot go without a mention. The colt missed the start by 2l before a stunning last 400 metres that was 9.5l faster than the Listed 3-year-old average to nail Gatsby’s (Snitzel) on the line.
His last 400 metres and 200 metres was the quickest of the meeting and his overall time beat the class benchmark. Gatsby’s wasn’t disgraced using lane three on a day when no winner used inside lane four.
The G2 Golden Pendant was the slowest of three x 1400-metre races on the day. But the girls went through their first 800 metres almost 6l slower than the 3-year-olds. On the line the clock shows 2.5l between Broadsiding and Makarena (Snitzel). Lekvarte (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) is worth keeping an eye on. She ran the best split of the race for each sectional from the 800 metres to the 200 metres before her condition gave out.
