It perhaps wasn't the most visually pleasing run of last Thursday night's Ballarat meeting, but the clock certainly suggested Mornings is well and truly on track for Snake Valley trainer Damien Burns.
Despite finishing sixth in the TAB Long May We Play Pace, the five-year-old mare produced the quickest last 800m split of the entire card according to PJ Data’s timing system.
The daughter of Dawn Ofa New Day settled back in the running line for much of the race, and while she could only get within 8m of the winner Foolish Pleasure, was able to reel off a slick 55.22sec last half.
It was an encouraging performance in just her second run this year and first since the Ararat Pacing Cup on February 12.
Burns admitted he was a little surprised by the closing sectional from his mare.
"That would be as quick as she has ever gone, I reckon, for a half," Burns said.
"She's very speedy when things go her way. She's a better front-runner than she is coming from behind, but she is always very honest and never really runs a bad race."
PJ Data covered two Victorian meetings last week, with the full runner-by-runner sectionals available for Ballarat and Melton.
WATCH MORNINGS' EFFORT AT BALLARAT BELOW
WHERE TO NEXT?
There's nothing in concrete just yet, but Burns is keen to take out a metropolitan race for mares at Tabcorp Park Melton and then potentially head to the breeding barn with the current winner of 12 races and more than $80,000 in prizemoney.
THE NUMBERS
MORNINGS
TAB LONG WAY ME PLAY PACE - 6th
LEAD TIME: 45.30sec
LAST MILE: 1:57.26min
LAST 800m: 55.22sec
LAST 400m: 27.69sec
FASTEST FIVE
BALLARAT, MARCH 18
LAST 400m
TIGER BAND WAGON 26.74sec - last BREKKIE SHOW WITH JOSH & MADDIE 3YO PACE
NOTNEGOTIABLE 26.85sec - 4th BREKKIE SHOW WITH JOSH & MADDIE 3YO PACE
CLASSICMAJOR 26.93sec - 2nd BREKKIE SHOW WITH JOSH & MADDIE 3YO PACE
RADAR STRIDE 26.97sec - 3rd BREKKIE SHOW WITH JOSH & MADDIE 3YO PACE
STYLISH JOE 27.20sec - 1st BREKKIE SHOW WITH JOSH & MADDIE 3YO PACE
LAST 800m
MORNINGS 55.22sec - 6th TAB LONG WAY ME PLAY PACE
TIGER BAND WAGON 55.27sec - last BREKKIE SHOW WITH JOSH & MADDIE 3YO PACE
AZZA 55.30sec - 3rd TAB LONG WAY ME PLAY PACE
NOTNEGOTIABLE 55.47sec - 4th BREKKIE SHOW WITH JOSH & MADDIE 3YO PACE
FOOLISH PLEASURE 55.62sec - 1st TAB LONG WAY ME PLAY PACE
MELTON, MARCH 20
LAST 400m
JILLIBY CHEVY 26.51sec - 1st CITYWIDE STAMPEDE
DELIGHTFUL JAZZ 26.89sec - 4th ECONOMIX JODIE'S BABE
I CAST NO SHADOW 27.00sec - 2nd CITYWIDE STAMPEDE
MAJOR MEISTER 27.13sec - 4th CITY OF MELTON PLATE XXXII
SHEFFIELD SPARKY 27.25sec - 5th CITY OF MELTON PLATE XXXII
LAST 800m
JILLIBY CHEVY 55.07sec - 1st CITYWIDE STAMPEDE
DELIGHTFUL JAZZ 55.15sec - 4th ECONOMIX JODIE'S BABE
MAJOR MEISTER 55.41sec - 4th CITY OF MELTON PLATE XXXII
RADIUS 55.44sec - 7th ALL IN ONE PROPERTY PACE
YOUNG ROOSTER 55.45sec - 4th ALL IN ONE PROPERTY PACE