Welcome to The Great Game Wrap, where spring is now at full tilt. Rosehill and Caulfield delivered some booming performances on Saturday, with emerging stayers, potential Everest contenders and some serious three-year-olds putting their hands up before a dominant display in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes.
Here's everything that mattered from another huge Saturday in the great game.
Aethelwulf toys with them at Rosehill
Everyone's good thing of the day was Aethelwulf, and the Matthew Smith-trained gelding delivered in style, making it three wins on the bounce with another dominant performance.
Aethelwulf looks every inch a progressive staying horse and is quickly emerging as a genuine Cups prospect. Bookmakers reacted immediately, shortening him from $15 into $6 for the now Group 2 Metropolitan (2400m).
Trainer Matthew Smith believes his best will come at 2000m and beyond, with the Newcastle Cup now a possible target as connections look to improve his chances of qualifying for the Caulfield Cup.
There is still plenty for Aethelwulf to learn, but three straight wins and a rapidly rising rating suggest he could be one of the spring's emerging stayers.
Mr Miller puts his hand up for the Epsom
Mr Miller was sent around an even-money favourite in Race 5 at Rosehill and gave punters very little to worry about, winning as he liked.
The progressive Ozzie Kheir-owned galloper from the Chris Waller stable continues to work his way through the grades and now looks to have the perfect profile for an Epsom Handicap campaign.
Mr Miller is now around $11 for the Epsom, but will likely need to win a qualifying race such as the Bill Ritchie Handicap or Shannon Stakes to secure his place.
If he does that, there is every chance he heads to the Epsom as one of the favourites.
Oliveanotherday could be Warrnambool's next star
Down to Caulfield, where Oliveanotherday showed exactly why some Warrnambool locals have been calling him the best horse to come out of the region in 20 years.
Sent out a dominant favourite, Oliveanotherday travelled strongly for Harry Coffey but found himself locked away on the rail approaching the 250m.
When the opportunity finally arrived, he made his own luck. Oliveanotherday showed terrific race sense to bullock his way into the clear before putting the leader away within a few strides under hands-and-heels riding.
Trainer Tom Dabernig has identified the Group 1 Manikato Stakes as the ultimate target, with the Bobby Lewis Quality at Flemington likely to be his next stop.
And if an Everest slot came their way? Connections say they would seriously consider it.
Plagiarism turns the market on its head
The betting told one story in Rosehill's Up And Coming Stakes, but the race itself told another.
When markets opened on Monday, Savagram and Plagiarism shared favouritism. From there, the market went completely one way.
Savagram was backed relentlessly throughout the week and eventually jumped around even money, while Plagiarism drifted all the way out to $8.
None of it mattered.
Plagiarism went straight to the front, controlled proceedings and kept going strongly to record a comfortable victory.
American Eagle opens up plenty of spring options
The McNeil Stakes at Caulfield is traditionally an important stepping stone towards races such as the Coolmore Stud Stakes and Caulfield Guineas, and American Eagle emerged with several spring options after an impressive victory.
Under Mark Zahra, American Eagle showed excellent race sense before seeing off a late challenge from Unit Five and finding another gear when challenged.
Connections now have a decision to make.
Does American Eagle stretch out to 1600m for the Caulfield Guineas, head to Sydney for the Golden Rose, or is he ultimately better suited dropping back to the 1200m of the Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight?
Saturday's performance suggests they have a talented and versatile three-year-old on their hands.
Guest House joins rare company — and breaks the Rosehill record
Back to Sydney for the San Domenico Stakes, where Blue Door had been all the rage throughout the week and eventually jumped odds-on.
But Golden Slipper winner Guest House had other ideas.
Guest House was attempting to become the first Golden Slipper winner since Tierce in 1991 to return at three and win the San Domenico, and turning for home he looked to have plenty of horse underneath him.
The only problem was finding daylight.
Zac Lloyd remained patient before threading Guest House through a tiny opening along the inside. Once into the clear, the colt exploded through and won comfortably.
And the clock confirmed just how good the performance was.
Guest House broke the Rosehill 1100m track record — a mark that had stood since 2007. To produce that time despite having to wait for a run in the straight only added further merit to the victory.
Trainer Mick Price was delighted with the performance and connections now have an ambitious spring mapped out for their valuable colt.
The Run To The Rose comes next, followed by the Golden Rose, before a likely tilt at The Everest under global powerhouse Coolmore's slot. A return to Melbourne for the Coolmore Stud Stakes could then round out a massive spring campaign.
A Golden Slipper winner, a track record and some of Australia's biggest races now firmly in his sights — Guest House looks ready for a huge spring.
Beiwacht demolishes them in the Memsie
The headline act at Caulfield was the Group 1 Memsie Stakes, and once again a star three-year-old stole the show.
Twelve months after Treasurethe Moment produced a dominant performance to win the race, Beiwacht followed suit with a demolition job against a high-quality weight-for-age field.
Nash Rawiller rated him beautifully before Beiwacht exploded clear in the straight. From that point, nothing else was ever a winning chance.
The victory added a third Group 1 win over 1400m to Beiwacht's résumé and further established him as one of the headline horses of the spring.
There was also plenty to like behind him.
Mr Brightside was tremendous in second at his first start back from a lengthy break, while Treasurethe Moment produced an excellent first-up performance to suggest she is right on track for another big spring.
The victory also continued Chris Waller's flying start to the Group 1 season, giving him his second major in as many Saturdays after Autumn Glow's Winx Stakes triumph.
Chayan tunes up for the Furious
High-profile filly Chayan continued her preparations for next week's Furious Stakes with a gallop at Rosehill on Saturday.
The daughter of I Am Invincible was one of the leading two-year-old fillies of last season, winning the Group 2 Reisling Stakes before starting favourite in the Golden Slipper.
She also made headlines away from the track when Coolmore's Tom Magnier paid a staggering $5.6 million for her at the Inglis Chairman's Sale in May.
All eyes will now be on her return to the races in the Furious Stakes as she begins her three-year-old spring campaign.
Editorial at The Daily Punt, covering Australian racing and sport with an eye for where the value sits.
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