Sectional Debrief: Focus on Wednesday April 17

This series of sectional debriefs will tend towards coverage of all-weather racing, and in particular racing at Kempton, but there will be times when action on the turf takes centre stage. For that to happen, there needs to be not only interesting fare but television coverage that enables accurate sectional timing by-hand and a history of sectionals at the track in question. That was the case for Wednesday's racing on the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket. 

A final 2f sectional would usually be preferred for races at up to and including a mile, but camerawork meant that it was possible to take individual sectionals only at the 3f marker. A headwind was a factor, but Newmarket's dead-straight configuration meant that this was not as big an issue as might have been the case. 

The following are the headline figures for the card:

The most eye-catching performance in terms of overall time and sectionals was that of Hot Snap in winning the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes. The leaders went quickly in this race (all bar the first two home returned in finishing speeds less than the 99.7% optimum) but that's not to say Hot Snap was flattered. The overall time is an excellent one and Hot Snap saw out her race strongly, with an individual last 3f of about 35.5 sec (102.0%). She is up to Guineas-winning standard already, though her supporters will probably be hoping for a similarly true gallop for that race.

Garswood was sensibly held on to before winning the Free Handicap, in a race that unfolded in similar fashion but resulted in a slightly less impressive time. 

Anyone judging performance on overall time alone is likely to draw a line through the prospects of Improvisation, winner of a slowly-run 10f maiden, but the speed he showed to seal matters strongly suggests that he will rate well into the 100s before long. Eshtiaal (86 sectional rating) was the other main eye-catcher in that race on sectionals. 

The opening 7f maiden produced a disappointing time even after allowing for the steady pace, but runner-up Red Rocker (84 sectional rating) closed from second-last 3f out and should be making amends before long. 

Kempton's evening meeting was a fairly unremarkable occasion, with the headline figures as follows: 

Abilene deserves to be rated a couple of lengths better than the result in winning the opening maiden by 5 lengths but will doubtless face stiffer tasks hereafter, while Mirth (58 sectional rating) did reasonably well against the pace bias in finishing fourth in the 12f handicap.

But the standout race on sectionals was the handicap won by Spillway. It resulted in a sprint finish, as the figures show, but the overall time is still not all that bad and the winner in particular looks one to follow. Runner-up Grendisar (85 sectional rating) and fourth-placed Jathabah (83 sectional rating) should also continue to do well. 

To follow: Red Rocker, Hot Snap, Eshtiaal, Spillway

To oppose: Music Master,   

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