Phearson bounced back into the winner's stall and survived a protest to win the Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
The gelding was stretching out to the 1500m for the first time, and he was brave to lead all the way whilst holding off a wave of late challengers.
Punter's intelligence recorded he ran the first 900m in 54.28 and produced a good-even overall pace rating.
He kept finding under pressure to his credit and maintained a solid finishing speed to the line. Expect him to backup into Saturday's Group 2 Ingham at Royal Randwick (1600m).
Runner-up Williamsburg should've won after having no luck in the straight.
The four-year-old was restrained early from a wide draw and was then checked/blocked at critical stages.
Further, even with all that interference, he produced the seventh fastest final 600m meeting split in 33.62. To put that into perspective, his final 600m was 3-3.5 lengths quicker than the race's following best.
Rustic Steel tried hard and Grebeni ran a hidden 600m-200m split in 22.36 but just peaked late.
The Peter & Paul Snowden galloper Tazaral was resuming, and his final 200m had merit in 11.60, the race's second fastest. He can only step off this effort and is suited over more ground.
The Waterhouse & A Bott stable has produced yet another impressive two-year-old debutant with Storm Boy bolting in.
The colt had all favours leading at a moderate tempo, but he showed a turn of foot and late strength to win the opening event.
Moreover, he clocked the ninth fastest final 200m of the meeting in 11.56, ran slick time after adjusting for age, class, additional factors and the margins throughout, confirmed the quality.
Traffic Warden is an improving type, and although he got a rails run through, he had to exert too much energy between the 600m-200m.
He ran the sixth fastest final 600m split of the meeting in 33.51 and will only benefit from the race experience. One to follow.
Dragonstone bounced back into the winner's stall after showing a sharp turn of foot, and he savaged the line to score in the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m).
The gelding was run to suit but reeled off the clear meetings quickest final 600m/400m/200m splits in 32.66/21.72/11.14. He's back to his best, and expect him to hold his form with his consistency.
Favourite Malkovich was brave in defeat after leading at a genuine tempo, and he stuck on well while the other on-pace runners faded.
It's worth noting some other sectional performers, including California Grass, who looks ready to peak fourth-up.
The mare now has a strong platform, and she built through her gears well to finish fourth in the Midway Handicap (2000m) after having the race shape against.
She is still relatively lightly raced, and her run had sectional merit, with her producing the fastest last 200m of the race, 11.95.
Talons was outpaced over the 1100m first-up in the TAB Highway (1100m) and had excuses in the straight.
He recorded hidden closing splits whilst running the 11th fastest last 200m of the meeting in 11.59.
I'm A Dirty Rascal was rising sharply in trip while only being second-up, and expect him to peak third-up.
He covered an extra 6.5m relative to the winner, Stockman and still recorded the race's second-quickest final 600m in 35.55. Follow him.
Fastest last 600m: Dragonstone 32.66
