This Listed 3yo only over 1200m saw the propelling to the top of the G1 2000 Guineas charts for Catalyst, the most impressive winner on the whole card and that includes the G1 winner Melody Belle. Catalyst won like a rising star and treated with absolute contempt a decent field in good time with loads left still in the locker. Not one leader won all day on the ten-race card and considering there was a clear faster strip on the inside that is staggering. Seven of the ten winners were on the fence or no worse than three-off turning in and of those four turned for home on the rail. Leaders turning for home finished in race order third, third, second, second, fifth, third, third, fifth, fourth and second, so the anomaly is in the fact that none could win. The winners and where they turned for home in race order were seventh (three-off the inside and three lengths from the leader), fifth (two-off the inside and a length and a half from the leader), third (on the fence and two lengths from the leader), eighth (on the fence and four lengths from the leader), second (one-off the inside and a length from the leader), eighth (on the fence and four lengths from the leader), third (two-off the inside and a length from the leader), seventh (on the fence and three lengths from the leader), fourteenth (six-off the inside and four and a half lengths from the leader) and seventh (four-off the inside and three lengths from the leader). Catalyst was not away cleanly at all and was used up early to burn up second the outer then relaxed outsider the leader before taking over at the 300m and producing a jaw-dropping home straight surge. The gelding in a fast run race accelerated away emphatically at the 200m and his rider craned the neck at the 100m to look for where were the opposition before throttling right down the final 50m. He won by four lengths (had two lengths more up the sleeve for sure) and clocked 1:09.97 (the best time of the day as no other race broke 1:10), so he goes immediately to the top of the 3yo class regards pecking order. The win was both arrogant and scary as he was used up early and that tactical speed plus dazzling turn of secondary foot the run home are deadest weapons to not just beat his rivals but any manmade track bias in play on the day. If he can stretch to the mile in November then the Guineas looks to be at his mercy especially considering the runner up today Equinox was massive and is a real threat in that too. Equinox was hampered at the start and got left trapped wide fifth or sixth doing overtime in the running fresh up in a solidly run race. The colt moved up third turning for home and reached second at the 200m but was left eating the dust of Catalyst soon after. He never gave it away and fought on gamely for second after a real gutbuster fresh up so hopefully that run does not sour him as he is a serious 3yo player this Spring too. Loire ran on well for third from seventh then sixth the inner and is a filly with scope galore, so this race result could prove to be a rich future source for both sexes. Scotch ran a super fourth after being hampered at the start and in the rear duo on settling before finding the line and he has it all ahead too. The Fugitive set a solid pace and wilted to finish fifth beaten almost six lengths but will be an improver and his natural speed should reap reward this season. Enjoy The Show is an improver when sixth after racing handy then hitting a flat spit the run home before boxing on again. Kurt ran on and for a maiden that is yet to finish top three he has good improvement to come and would be Black Caviar-like odds if he was put into a non-winners only event for a soft kill. Last Sight may be better back too her own sex and she is a filly with upside over further while Blue Rata Elgius is the tier below the big hitters at this stage. Second Slip is a maiden that was not disgraced in finishing second last and would be odds on back to an all non-winners event. The Tailors Niece settled down last and never got into the race but when the winner from second the outer is breaking 1:10 that made it tough to make any ground and in fact was mathematically impossible. It would be no surprise if this result has a colossal bearing the on outcome of the G1 2000 and 1000 Guineas in the second week of November at Riccarton as so many winners will come out of this and more than once this season. Catalyst has only been beaten once (on raceday or at the trials) and no surprise it came on the manmade biased Te Rapa track otherwise he has won with utter contempt twice on raceday and in all three trials. The manner of his win today and the time run in comparison to other races on the day says he could be rather special and to trust your eyes at what you saw, as it was indeed that good. Look out to see next time if he is not just a sprinter when likely to tackle 1400m at G2 here at Hastings again over 1400m on October 5 and then will it be stretched to the mile at Riccarton as expected. He looks like a push button 3yo and best kept fresh with races spaced so risking another run at say the manmade biased Te Rapa is an ask though he now can be put in the race from the outset and avoid that nasty kickback. The dictionary definition of a catalyst is something that precipitates an event or change and in Catalyst that looks all for the good regarding 3yo ranks.