The X factor that separates the best from the very good shone through when Denman won a battle of tactics in the Stan Fox Stakes at Randwick yesterday.
The Caulfield Guineas favourite scared off most of the opposition for the Group Two feature and trainer Peter Snowden said he wasalways conscious the five-horse field could be a problem.
With El Sonador setting off at a good clip early, Kerrin McEvoy put Denman in his wake and stalked him to the turn.
Halfway up the straight, McEvoy urged the $1.35 favourite to the lead and, as Run For Naara ($61) gave chase, it took just a couple of taps with the whip for Denman to step up a gear and win by three-quarters of a length.
"He is a very special horse," Snowden said. "We decided we needed to be positive because we didn't want to get caught out. He needed to be up out of trouble.
"He is only three-quarters there because he has to get up again in two weeks time.
"His class got him there, the average ones struggle in situations like that. But the better ones, they do what they have to do and adapt."
Denman won the Group One Golden Rose over the same distance (1400m) as yesterday's race and will step up to 1600m for the first time in the Caulfield Guineas in two weeks.
Denman has been the overwhelming favourite since the Golden Rose win and his record now stands at six wins from seven starts.
The 3-year-old's sire Lonhro won the 2001 Caulfield Guineas and although Snowden is loath to compare the two horses, the physical similarities are obvious.
"He's not there yet but he is a very talented horse," Snowden said.
"We'll probably get him to Melbourne next week to prepare for the race.
"When he came to Sydney from Victoria it took him a few days to get on the right leg, so we want to make sure he is acclimatised again."
Three of Denman's wins have been in Victoria and he ran third on debut up the straight course at Flemington.
