Veyron became the sixth horse to win back-to-back Easter Handicaps and was the first to do so since Waipari in 1960-1961. The others were the incomparable Sleepy Fox 1944-1947 (he won four in a row), the awesome Kindergarten (1941-1942), the durable Reremoana (1925-1926), the unheralded Rex (1898-1899) and the little remembered Yatapa (1879-1880). Veyron is big and strong and will be back next season but it is safe to assume Sleepy Fox is safe at the top of the Easter pedestal for his fabulous fourpeat. Rogan Norvall aboard Veyron is the second rider this century to win two Easter Handicaps, with Mark Sweeney winning on Magic Winner (2001) and Time Keeper (2010). The rider of the winner Zayyad in 2000 was Matthew Williamson and he is now a stipendiary steward, so it is a race that can really throw up a surprise or two. The winning time this year of 1:35.40 was nothing special owing to a soft middle sectional and is just the eighth fastest this century. A blistering 1:32.29 by Pomp And Glory in 2004 then 1:33.02 by Pasta Post in 2008 and 1:33.95 by Sedecrem in 2003 are the three slickest times. The record of Easter Handicap winners never winning again or even just scoring once more is alarmingly common this century, so Veyron from last year to now in scoring five times of which three have been at G1 is in exalted company. Linda Laing once again flew the female trainers flag proudly in this time-honoured G1 mile and rider Rogan Norvall rode a copybook race for the second year running too. The runner up Postman’s Daughter must be bottomless, as this was her fourteenth run this campaign and she has raced since October and twelve of those runs have come at G1 (7 times), G2 (4 times) and G3 (1 time). Jetset Lad was colossal in defeat and Green Supreme a luckless fifth but he has been out of the money the two times he has tackled Group races for his new stable and has been a warm favourite each time. Sum Up ran home well and in particular Atom Cat, which was last turning for home in the big field. Jimmy Choux has never ever won fresh up and was using this as a lung-clearer for some G1 races in Sydney and Queensland against older horses, where he needs to win as a four-year-old to make his stud value credible. He was not taxed the closing stages under topweight of 61kg and his scope for improvement is enormous. Allegrio like his stablemate Riotous had a nightmare wide run but the former only wilted late while the latter will sleep for days. Nicole Amy just needs a decent barrier draw next start to find form again, while Justanexcuse copped a check near the home turn, so his effort can be forgiven. Templeten is a stayer with potential and went very good considering the way the race was run, so it surprising he is not in Australia chasing the stamina dollars already. The honour roll this century for the Easter Handicap is so much better for the presence of the name Veyron twice.