The best 3yo in the land is Catalyst by a massive margin and he second-rated his rivals once again today when winning a G3 over 1200m. The gelding has panel-beaten his age group rivals and has now won six races in a row with most tellingly the fact he has comfortably run the best time on the day in each of these wins. The winners today at Ellerslie and where they turned for home in race order were fourth (five-off the inside and a length from the leader), sixth (four-off the inside and three lengths from the leader), fifth (three-off the inside and two and a half lengths from the leader), third (four-off the inside and a length from the leader), seventh (three-off the inside and three lengths from the leader) and sixth (eight-off the inside and three lengths from the leader). Catalyst was last away after an awkward start and sat last and wide but under a big grip until being asked to stride up near the home turn fast. Ignore the commentator saying that Catalyst was still last turning for home as that is simply not true and the video hilariously shows that such embellishment was over-excitement and pure story-telling. Catalyst in a nine-horse field was sixth and unleashing fast three lengths from the leader and surged to take the lead with 200m to go then powered away to score by two and a half lengths in 1:08.89. The time was .79 (four lengths) faster than the next best 1200m on the day and that was a G3 Open Handicap for the older sprinters. It was his sixth win from seven starts and he now has the full set with one at G1, one at G2, two at G3 and once at Listed level. Run To Perfection ran a sound second and he had run fourth at G1 in the 2000 Guineas (1600m) last November behind Catalyst when beaten over five lengths so he has halved the deficit. Bavella ran an honest third but was beaten almost five lengths and prior she was fourth in the G1 1000 Guineas. It may end up a Trivial Pursuit question of who was the rider atop for the debut of Catalyst that got beaten out of the top three when the gelding had never suffered defeat at a trial or raceday before or after for ages. Michael Coleman forever now owns the unwanted 'King' moniker of that inexplicable defeat and this WTF fact may well end up a moment of infamy in New Zealand thoroughbred racing. Make no mistake Catalyst is humiliating his age group in New Zealand and he has broken the will and hearts of many of his rivals too that have never looked like winning another race since. What he is beating senselessly is mostly not much chop but some are of note such as a since G1 1000 Guineas winner filly Loire. Before any of his beaten rivals are tested in Australia he will fly the flag first and rightly so, as he is so far superior to anything in New Zealand it is not funny. He could be the best male galloper sent to Australia this century at least as so many have flopped big time or the air went out of the balloon so quickly. Catalyst has run best time in each of his six wins in a row and has many lengths on any of his age group so now he has to show he can do it in Australia and then against the older horses over there too. Most of the champion New Zealand horses have one thing in common and that is they are the one and only topliner by their usually very mediocre or obscure sires proving that breeding is a lucky dip and genetic lottery. Some spring to mind readily such as the mare Sunline (Desert Sun) and the geldings (all gelded as the sire was not a Sales seller looking ahead) in Bonecrusher (Pag Asa), Veandercross (Crossways), Altitude (Magnesia) and Axeman (Crimson God) to name a fantastic fifer. His name means causing an accelerating reaction and Catalyst begins that process on the far greater and deeper stage of Australian thoroughbred racing when next seen out. All eyes will be on him when he steps out in Australia as the bubble either bursts with the boom of hype deflation heard in two countries or it gets bigger and the believers jump aboard and the pressure keeps getting greater.