We touch on the key ratings and analysis from the weekend with spring on the horizon.

PB LAWRENCE:

Let's start at the top of the tree with Private Eye running to 121 to win the slowly run feature at Caulfield on Saturday.

What a champ the 8YO is, running over 120 for the fourth time in a row, now spanning across three states between 1400m and a mile.

121 sits on the high side of average for the Lawrence, with Mr Brightside running to that same figure when winning in 2023.

A bit of chatter surrounding the shape of the race and how it was laid out on a platter for Nash and Private Eye is probably part of a bigger issue with racing – though it has to be mentioned.

What do you do with horses like Moira, Anisette and Evaporate at their next start? All are capable of better, but under different circumstances. Will they get things to suit next time? Or will it be slowly run again as we tend to see in these early Spring features?

The market when they turn up next will be a very interesting guide.

MELBOURNE 3YO's:

If I had a different name, would my life be different?

It's a question posed to oneself on a semi-regular basis, though Jimmy Recard appears to be giving his name a new lease on life.

Number 71 in the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs continued to improve in big jumps, going from 97 to 106 with his win in the Vain on Saturday, matching horses like Cylinder (107) and Giga Kick (106) in recent times.

While some conspiracy theorists have suggested that Shake N Bake tactics helped Jimmy get the job done, the added weight of Tycoon Star first-up is probably more of a data point worth noting.

The G3 winner who flew home in the Blue Diamond picked up on a positive note and suggested he can go to the next level this time in work.

The pair turned for home neck-and-neck, with the weight and fitness advantage probably seeing Jimmy come out on top, rather than the Melham's using the NASCAR's Slingshot method to bring home the bacon.

Ferivia and the Quezette field managed to clock a slightly quicker overall time against the boys, though there's not much between them with both looking to be run at even gallops.

The market told the story with Scenic Point who drifted late and never really fired a shot after being well placed in the run, but back at the top it looks a handy race.

Ferivia and her 102 rating are around the average winning mark for the Quezette, and similar to the Vain, My Gladiola is probably the one who stands out.

Horrible tactics didn't help her chances, though her return figure says she hasn't gone backwards and again, you'd expect the tables to turn with that effort under the belt.

The Rosebud

Heading up the Hume, the Golden Slipper form came to the fore with Skyhook carrying the weight first-up and getting the job done in a new peak effort with RAS.

Skyhook's 111 rating is the best since Anders and Paulele (both 114+), and while the initial thought is to compare him to Menari, we may have to pump the brakes on that.

The Rosebud looks to be a 'winner only' race with the time being the major query out of that event, running slower than the 92 rated Mal Coupe over the same track and trip.

Skyhook gave the runner-up 7 kilos and with the sectionals saying he probably could've won by further, so it's easy to put a line through those horses who finished behind him.

While you can't knock what Skyhook did on Saturday, the feeling is that there is another wave to return soon who will set the bar higher.