Another key statistic we looked at was the ability of a trainer to maintain a horse’s winning performance. That is being able to back a horse up from a win and being able to win again next start.

Admittedly there are all sorts of ways to use statistics but we believe these measures to be a strong guide to the trainers’ relative success. We do acknowledge that there are other parameters which could be used and that may show differing results. Some trainers who don’t have access to as many owners/horses may have figures superior to the leading premiership trainers we have analysed here and we will certainly look at some of those lower profile trainers in coming weeks.

There were some very interesting points to note from this analysis:

Mark Kavanagh  – very dominant figures, even surpassing Sydney’s best trainer Gai Waterhouse.

Peter Moody – outstanding all-round performance.

Mick Price  – also produced good figures but interestingly his record in Black Type races was poor. That  may be attributed to stock as opposed to training ability.

Danny O’Brien  – low strike-rate first up.

Mike Moroney – 7% or less first up strike-rate year after year.

Tony Noonan – Country and Provincial figures were vastly superior to his Metropolitan results. Also the performance of his last start winners was below par.

David Hayes – poor overall record again. Less than 7 % winners at Caulfield and less again last year.

Robbie Grifffiths – poor figures/strikerate backing up last start winners.

Race 1 Listed 2yr old Fillies 1200m
Very much a leader dominated affair. The winner PARRIWI was able to dictate in front and the race time was moderate with the last 600 in even tempo. BIANCA JEWEL was a good run again to get as close as it did in the circumstances but it does get back and do this quite often. The Bart Cummings youngster ARDECHE showed better manners this time and ran on well against the tempo and is an improving type with obvious ability. It will win soon. PYROGRAPHY found the grade too strong for now.

Race 2 Listed Myer Lightning Hcp 1000m
The 600m sectional of 33.82 and an overall race time 56.78 were both indicative of a very fast race. DAUNTING LAD and ANOTHER TAKEOVER came from well back and looked good, however they were both aided very much by the tempo. Both these horses get back in running and rarely find a race run to suit like this was. ANOTHER TAKEOVER will do better at 1200m and DAUNTING LAD really struggles to win these days suggesting the overall form from this race probably won’t stack up in the future despite the good figures.

Race 3 Listed Strawberry Road Hcp 1600m
Race tempo was even and one horse we nominated to follow off its last run, ROCKDALE, was gallant and nearly held onto win at very good odds. OUR LUKAS was excellent and it will now head to the Ipswich Cup and be hard to beat as will SECRETS UNTOLD who we also nominated as a horse to follow. At the moment these two look to be the ones to follow at the Ipswich meeting.

Race 4 T.J Smith Group 1 1600m
Very interesting race as PRESSDAY (who missed the start and was patiently ridden by Nash Rawiller in a brilliant riding display) managed to win yet again. The time once again was not great in comparison to other races on the day as was the case in both of  its last two wins which possibly suggests that the competition really wasn’t all that great. The one who really impressed was AMERICAN CREW who has had very few starts and was the only horse up on the pace who managed to hold on. SHADOWS IN THE SUN weakened towards the latter stages but was wide throughout, showing the symptoms of the wide run by getting its head to the side when under pressure over the concluding stages , but it certainly has upside. It will be interesting to see how these 2yr olds stack up against better credentialled performers through the Spring or Autumn but certainly PRESSDAY in winning all three events it contested was a great success story.

Race 5  Brisbane Cup Group 2 2400m
The better surface saw CROSSTHESTART back in the winners circle. SCOUTING WIDE was most gallant attempting to lead all the way and almost doing so after having some strong support in the ring. EKSTREME returned to its old form and was there at the finish but really this was an extremely weak race for a Group 2. These are a very moderately performed lot who will take it in turn to win each week and none of these will go on to better things it would be safe to say.

Race 6 Queensland Derby Group 1 2400m
DARIANA certainly left no doubt about its ability and no doubt would have won the Oaks by panels had it not stayed in the barrier at the start. KUTCHINSKY was good and may well have resented the firmer surface. It was noticeable that it really didn’t lengthen at all in the straight despite being very competitive. Of the rest there is little that can be said.

Race 7 Stradbroke Handicap Group 1 1400m
LATIN NEWS had every hope but it wasn’t a winning chance from the 200m mark. MELITO was brilliant yet again but found one better on the day and it will be interesting to see how it comes back in the spring or Autumn or whether Gerald Ryan has other plans. At the moment whilst being very competitive at Group 1 level its just a length or two short of the mark. It certainly makes us wonder how HOT DANISH would have fared in the race had it been an acceptor. BEADED was very good considering its size. It has come a long way this preparation and its effort to run 4th was full of merit. MIC MAC surprised and despite having raced below its best of late was very good. BLACK PIRANHA was excellent winning the race for the second time and there can be no reason to doubt the win as it went up the straight with WHOBEGOTYOU and ORTENSIA and went past them with ease. ALBERT THE FAT was very good and as we said after its last win, (it was no fluke) and it proved that despite the very wide draw and it’s get back in run style.

Race 8 Queensland Guineas Group 2 1600m
One horse race and the beautiful type ROTHESAY was simply too good for them. It was another horse we suggested be followed into this event. It was good to see LAUNAY return to form. It’s been struggling at 1350m and the 1600m is it’s go and it proved that. It races better when allowed to stride to the front which either it couldn’t do at the shorter trip, or the stable had tried to teach it to settle back in the field. It must be allowed to run and the 1600 is its trip, although, it can win at 1400 if allowed to run.