Sectional Debrief: Newmarket, Sunday May 6, 2012

One Thousand Guineas Day at Newmarket was the second day of the Newmarket Guineas Meeting, coverage of the first day of which can be found HERE.

Times on the second day to begin with suggested conditions were not quite so testing as on the first day, and the going-stick reading of 7.4 all round backed this up. Later times point to the rain having had an effect by that stage.

The following are the headline figures from the day:

Winners' sectionals

Leaders' sectionals

• The fastest opening furlong was recorded by The Confessor (14.16 sec, 31.78 mph from a standing start) in the six-furlong handicap won by Maarek.
• The fastest individual furlong was recorded by Jarrow (11.04 sec, 40.76 mph) in the second furlong of the same contest.
• The fastest closing furlong was recorded by Izzi Top (12.78 sec, 35.21 mph) who was 0.01 sec quicker over that sectional in winning a slowly-run Group 3 Dahlia Stakes than was the two-year-old New Pearl in landing the five-furlong maiden.
• Sectional analysis of the 1000 Guineas confirms that Homecoming Queen set a strong pace and was easily the best filly in the race. However, her margin of superiority looks to have been exaggerated slightly (by in the region of two lengths) due to her rivals running inefficiently in trying to make ground on her from further back.
• Alla Speranza would have prospects of placing if the race were run again.
• Captivator shaped like at least as good a filly as her conqueror Izzi Top in coming from last to be second. She may not be straightforward (wears hood, wandered) but has the ability to get placed again in this or a slightly higher grade.
• Sectional analysis points to Maarek being suited by the set-up of the race (came from a few lengths back), and the three immediately behind him - Shropshire, Colonel Mak and Parisian Pyramid - might have bettered him on another day. Early front-runner The Confessor shaped as if retaining all his ability and should be interesting if dropped a few pounds.
• The principals in the last two races ran close to optimum sectionals, and their slowish times can be taken as a reflection of deteriorating conditions.

Full sectional times can be found by clicking HERE.