Sebring Sun, Burbero and a fast Royal Randwick track in contention for best performance of the day

WHICH was the most impressive performance on Saturday — Sebring Sun, Burbero or the Royal Randwick track?

Photographs: Simon Bullard. Race 4 THE ROSEBUD (3YO) - 1200m. Winner 'Sebring Sun' ridden by Brenton Avdulla.

WHICH was the most impressive performance on Saturday — Sebring Sun, Burbero or the Royal Randwick track?

You could make a case for all three but wasn’t it great to finally see a Sydney Saturday race meeting run on a track conducive to fast times after the plethora of heavy tracks through autumn and winter.

The often-maligned Randwick track raced particularly well with two 1200m races run in less than 1min 9 sec, and the 1000m race in a flying 56.01s.

The fast times produced energy-sapping races and it became evident those horses race-fit through winter campaigns stood up.

Sebring Sun with Brenton Avdulla aboard.

Inz’n’Out, Loophole and Mardi all won on the quick back-up from Rosehill seven days earlier, and the remaining five winners had all started within two weeks of the Randwick meeting.

There were seven horses resuming from spells that raced at Randwick on Saturday and only Weary, runner-up in the Missile Stakes, and Wine Tales (third in race 1), managed to place.

Messene and Rageese were among those first-up horses who struggled on Saturday but expect them to continue to improve this campaign.

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SEBRING Sun was dominant in The Rosebud, unleashing a brilliant burst of acceleration to beat a smart field with arrogance.

But trainer Gary Portelli, who has prepared many top class gallopers over the years, is not getting carried away with the hype on Golden Rose hopeful Sebring Sun.

Portelli is planning a relatively light spring campaign as he believes Sebring Sun will be even better next preparation. The boom colt is in the right stable to fulfil his potential.

Burbero is now a seven-year-old but his Missile Stakes win was a career-best effort.

His trainer Bjorn Baker has designs on the $1 million Epsom Handicap for the gelding this spring.

Baker found an unusual way to celebrate Burbero’s Missile Stakes triumph — the trainer ran in the City-to-Surf fun run yesterday and was happy with his overall time of 69min 19 sec.

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THE prizemoney increases for the Sydney spring carnival including the Epsom has caught the attention of former three-time premier jockey Nash Rawiller.

The champion jockey is based in Hong Kong these days but has been back in Sydney for the last two weeks on a “working holiday’ and won the last race at Randwick on Sweet Fire.

Rawiller returns to Hong Kong this week to prepare for the new season but hopes to be back for major races during the Sydney spring.

Nash and Brad Rawiller.

“Hong Kong is something I had to do for myself, I’ve always wanted to ride over there and if I didn’t go when I was asked, I might have missed the opportunity,’’ Rawiller said.

“But Sydney is still my home and the racing here is really going ahead now.

“It was great to be a part of Sydney racing while it was on the way up and hopefully it continues to grow.

“If the chance comes for me to come back during the spring carnival, I definitely will.’’

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TRAINER Michael Hawkes came up with the quote of the day when explaining to stewards what went wrong with Darciwood after it ran only sixth in the 1000m race at Randwick.

“He had to be Bernborough to win from where he was in the race when they run such fast time — and he is not Bernborough,’’ Hawkes said.

Tommy Berry returns on Darciwood after winning The Bledisloe Cup Festival Handicap.

“Once he missed the start he was history. How can he run past horses when they are going that fast.’’

Jockey tommy Berry said Darciwood only has a “very short turn of foot and had spent all his pennies trying to catch the field.’’

“When he won his last start it was on a heavy track and there was less pace in the race so he was able to travel better,’’ Berry said.

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RACING NSW stewards may lay further charges as their investigations widen into the cobalt scandal.

Chief steward Ray Murrihy revealed stewards are “considering their positions” after last week’s marathon four-day hearing which included evidence taken by phone from key witness Dr Adam Matthews.

“There has been a number of charges issued already and they may be added to,’’ Murrihy said.

Stewards will hear final submissions from all parties involved in the Sam Kavanagh cobalt case on Thursday and Murrihy indicated he hopes to announce the stewards findings in about two weeks.

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SYDNEY’S Kerrin McEvoy rode a winner and Blake Shinn had a placegetter as both competed in the Rest of the World team for the Shergar Cup at England’s Ascot racecourse over the weekend.

McEvoy, captain of the Rest of the World team, won the first race on Secretinthepark and returned to scale draped in an Australian flag.

Another Sydney jockey, Brenton Avdulla struts his stuff on the international stage next weekend with his booking for Goldsteam in the Group 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington in Chicago.

SATURDAY SNAPSHOT — ROYAL RANDWICK

RUN OF THE DAY

Sebring Sun is a promising colt improving with every run. He won the Listed The Rosebud with real authority, his powers of acceleration the reserve of the class racehorses.

FORGET THEY RAN

Rageese missed the start, settled last and had to much to do under 59kg in a fast-run Rosebud when fourth to Sebring Sun. Rageese looked above himself in condition, will improve greatly with the run and is better suited over further.

THE BLACK BOOK

Weary’s comeback effort was excellent as he charged home late for a close second to Burbero in the Missile Stakes. Weary is a proven weight-for-age performer and can be placed to advantage in coming weeks.

RIDE OF THE DAY

Rory Hutching’s effort to win on Burbero was clearly rider of the day. Burbero is not the easiest horse to ride but Hutchings held his nerve and timed his finishing run to perfection.