This G3 1200m saw the odds on Catalyst win impressively and cement at this moment his head seat at the top of the 3yo pecking order table. The track bias was savage as usual here at Ruakaka and of the eight races a staggering six of the winners either led up, shared the lead turning for home or were second turning in. The most ground made up from the home turn to win all day was two lengths from the leader and that was the impressive Catalyst. The winners and where they were turning for home in race order were co-leader (one-off the inside), led (one-off the inside and a length ahead), co-leader (one-off the inside), second (two-off the inside and a length from the leader), sixth (five-off the inside and length and a half from the leader), led (on the rail and a length ahead), fifth (one-off and two lengths from the leader) and led (three-off the inside and a length ahead). Catalyst in his start before this G3 event today won a Listed race that was a stronger field than this today and he won that by four lengths throttled down under a grip in 1:09.97. Today he sat fifth the outer covered up and had to push his way out into clear air at the 300m before being detonated and then surging to the lead with 100m to go. He strode away to score by over three lengths in 1:10.34, the best time of the day as the Open Handicap earlier event ran 1:10.75, so he was over two and a half lengths superior. Catalyst was winning his third race in four starts and he has that extra gear to call upon over his rivals at the moment. As stated earlier this may have been a G3 but his previous win was over a deeper field despite being at Listed level and he ran superior time and won with much more devastating authority. Exuberant soon led and was kicking well the run home but got windburn by Catalyst when it whooshed past at the 100m. He had at his prior start run here at Ruakaka and finished third to a tidy looking Double Impact (which got beaten at very short odds on at Hastings a week later), so that form is still to be solidified. Zelenski ran a brave third today after being away awkwardly and then being sent up wide to fourth at the 800m and then third across the top deep to the home turn. He reached second at the 250m and was third at the 100m ending up beaten over four lengths. Zelenski was second to Double Impact two weeks earlier here so that formline appears again and he had a hard run today and that was why Exuberant beat him home. Aotea Lad trailed the leaders on the inner and fought on after being held up early the run home but he was not exactly pinging or exploding at the time so fourth was probably his lot anyway. Kaareraway from seventh on the inner fought on okay for fifth and is a bug improver. Silver Lake on debut was not disgraced at all after settling down second last. In Fashion needed the run and will be sharper next time seen out while Elliot Power weakened after sitting outside the leader. Tumbleweed sat sixth and wide with cover then stopped badly to be beaten almost twenty-three lengths. Bella Mente got back eighth the inner and stopped fast then was pulled up when last at the 200m with cardiac arrhythmia. Catalyst has all of these covered by a significant margin and now the need is to see him try 1400m at G2 in three weeks from now and then the mile at G1 five weeks after that.