More Joyous did more than rocket up the Golden Slipper betting charts with a stunning win on debut.The filly confirmed that her trainer Gai Waterhouse might have a modern day freak on her hands.But - at least for the moment - that horse isn't More Joyous.More Joyous turned in Sydney's most dominant two-year-old performance of the season when she posted a convincing winning margin at Rosehill on Saturday.It was enough to make her the favourite for this year's Golden Slipper.While there was someth
More Joyous did more than rocket up the Golden Slipper betting charts with a stunning win on debut.
The filly confirmed that her trainer Gai Waterhouse might have a modern day freak on her hands.
But - at least for the moment - that horse isn't More Joyous.
More Joyous turned in Sydney's most dominant two-year-old performance of the season when she posted a convincing winning margin at Rosehill on Saturday.
It was enough to make her the favourite for this year's Golden Slipper.
While there was something irrepressible about the five-length romp over 1100m, her figures pales in comparison to the time posted by her stablemate Amelia's Dream in winning last year's Silver Slipper.
At the same age, over the same distance, under the same track conditions at the same venue at almost the same time of the year, Amelia's Dream ran 1:02.90s.
It was a race record and prompted veteran bookmaker Colin Tidy to declare: "The most impressive Silver Slipper winner since Luskin Star".
After missing the start on Saturday, More Joyous clocked 1:05.50s. She was eased down towards the winning post.
While the experts will tell you comparing times from different days, let alone months, can be a dangerous and costly exercise, the cold, hard statistics still make compelling reading.
Given that one second equates to a six length margin over sprint distances, in a black and white scenario Amelia's Dream would have had a staggering 15-length advantage over More Joyous.
But that's on basic calculations and there's the trick according to Clockspeed's Tony Brassel, an analyst who was interpreting race times long before sectionals became fashionable.
"You have to be so careful when comparing raw data and times," he says.
"Comparing times for the same distances over different periods can be fraught with danger.
"Even though tracks might have the same rating, they can play completely differently."
Brassel has no doubt More Joyous is a deserved Golden Slipper favourite.
"She's pretty special," he said. "The fact she was able to make up her ground so quickly after missing the jump and then decimate her rivals says a lot about her.
"There's nothing about her that jumps out at you as a type but she is nicely balanced and she's got one of the best pedigrees going around."
As for Amelia's Dream, who is in the early stages of a comeback after a serious injury, Brassel can understand the hype she generated in two unbeaten starts last season.
"Her win in the Silver Slipper was real hair on the back of your neck stuff," he said.
Despite her heroics in a short-lived two-year-old season, there is still much we don't know about Amelia's Dream.
That alone ensures there won't be a racetrack return this year to match the interest in Amelia's Dream's comeback.