THE Tattersalls Irish 2000 and 1000 Guineas last weekend make for interesting data analysis particularly when compared to their Newmarket counterparts.

The comparisons are based on pace which is always the most important analytical tool in horse racing. The old maxim that ‘pace makes the race’ was never more pertinent than with these two races last weekend.

They did not produce outstanding time performances, but the Tattersalls Gold Cup on Sunday did, and all three races are the focus of my analysis this week.

In comparison to the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas was steadily run with Rosallion doing well to win from a poor position.

At Newmarket he got to the front two furlongs out, on this occasion jockey Sean Levey was keen not to hit the front so soon, this tactic in a race run at a steadier tempo nearly compromised his chance.

The Finishing Speed Percentages achieved by Rosallion (FSPs) from each race make for interesting comparison and shows just how different the pace was in each race.

Rosallion: Newmarket: FSP: 95.39%

Rosallion: Curragh: FSP: 108.57%

This stark contrast tells us that the very strongly run race at Newmarket compromised his finishing effort whereas the steady gallop at the Curragh allowed him to save energy and finish strongly. Below is a comparison of the final two-furlong splits that he achieved in both races.

Rosallion: Newmarket: Final 2F: 25.55secs

Rosallion: Curragh: Final 2F: 22.84secs

He is a strong travelling horse with a sharp turn of foot which he was unable to show at Newmarket due to the energy sapping gallop, but the steadier pace at the Curragh allowed him to quicken sharply, a change of gear that got him out of trouble having been in a poor position compared to the positively ridden runner-up Haatem.

His final individual splits show that he quickened sharply.

Rosallion’s final three-furlong splits:

F6: 11.06secs

F7: 11.01secs

F8: 11.83secs (Only horse under 12secs in final furlong)

He needed this sharp turn of foot to catch Haatem who according to the data was not stopping in front. His FSP of 106.90% showed that he was finishing strongly and for Rosallion to be able to run him down should be seen as a very smart effort.

This race has highlighted that Rosallion is a horse with bags of speed. He can be keen early on in his races and he needs to be waited with so that his speed can be properly utilised.

His best trip may be seven furlongs, but we saw on Saturday that he is very effective at a mile as long as he can utilise his sharp change of gear.

River Tiber impressed in third. He was making his seasonal reappearance and was only beaten a head and a length and a quarter.

The data shows that he finished the race slightly better than Haatem and was hampered in the closing stages. His final two-furlong split compared to the other principals is below.

Rosallion: 22.284secs

Haatem: 23.20secs

River Tiber: 23.18secs

There is also data to suggest that River Tiber is going to be a real force this summer and it lies in the Race iQ stride length figures.

He has a very long stride, at its max in the Guineas, it was calculated as being 8.48 metres.

It is not often that the data shows a horse to have such a long stride and it is a sign of a top-class racehorse. His maximum stride length in the race is compared with Rosallion and Haatem below.

Rosallion: Max stride length: 7.95 metres

Haatem: Max stride length: 7.85 metres

River Tiber: Max stride length 8.48 metres

River Tiber looks like he will head to the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot for which he is worth supporting.

TATTERSALLS Irish 1000 Guineas winner Fallen Angel finished eighth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. That race was strongly run, and she raced too close to the strong pace with the winner and second coming from well off the pace.

In the Irish version on Sunday, she was able to attend a much steadier gallop before using her speed to win the race. The ability to dictate a steady gallop at a track that suits front runners suited her much better than Newmarket.

Her early splits from both races highlight just how much harder she had to run in the first five furlongs at Newmarket.

Fallen Angel’s 1000 Guineas first five-furlong sectional comparison.

Newmarket Curragh

F1: 14.61secs 15.63secs

F2: 11.31secs 12.67secs

F3: 11.35secs 12.26secs

F4: 11.42secs 12.63secs

F5: 11.58secs 12.49secs

The steady early gallop at the Curagh put hold-up horses at a disadvantage with Fallen Angel quickening from the front through furlongs six (11.47secs) and seven (11.37secs).

That surge won her the race and saw her recording an FSP of 106.39% compared to 95.81% at Newmarket.

Fallen Angel is now two out of two at the Curragh having won the Moyglare as a two-year-old. While she was impressive here, she got the run of the race under a smart ride from Danny Tudhope.

In contrast to Rosallion who won despite the way the race was run and his position in that race, she won because of the way the race was run and her position at the front.

THE Tattersalls Gold Cup threw up one of the best time performances of the season. White Birch clocked a final time of 2m 11.61secs which was 0.99secs under the Racing Post standard despite the softening ground. This was the only time on the card to dip under standard.

All White Birch’s wins have come with cut in the ground but this win was not just due to the ground, after all, he ran well in last year’s Derby on fast ground. It must be concluded that he is a much-improved performer this season.

Such a good final time was achieved because this race was run at an even tempo with the winner and Auguste Rodin (second) rated evenly and recording the following FSPs.

White Birch: 103.05%

Auguste Rodin 101.80%

White Birch finished the race better than Auguste Rodin as evidenced by their final three-furlong splits.

White Birch: 36.49secs

Auguste Rodin: 37.08secs

The 10th furlong was key with White Birch quickening to the front with an 11.80secs furlong, Auguste Rodin clocking 12.05secs.

Both deserve credit for pulling eight lengths clear of the third and the winner should be considered as being a genuine Group 1 performer.

Auguste Rodin should not be written off though. White Birch seemed to handle conditions better than him, and we know that last year’s Deby winner has plenty of speed when he can bounce off fast ground.

It should not be forgotten how he reeled in King Of Steel in last year’s Derby on fast ground with furlongs of 10.85secs and 10.89secs.

This run proves that the Auguste Rodin engine is very much intact, He just needs fast ground to flash his brilliance.