Racing: Seachange 1, Darci Brahma 0

A lot of angles came out of Saturday's $200,000 Mudgway Stakes, but the burning issue is how will what we saw affect the $200,00 Stoney Bridge Stakes in three weeks.

And heading that list will be the mouth-watering re-match between Seachange and Darci Brahma.

After a season of racing against only her own age and two unfit runs against older horses this preparation on unsuitable wet ground, Seachange was always going to tell us for the first time on Saturday exactly how good she is.

The verdict - absolutely stunning.

The leg action might look ordinary, but it's fast and ordinary.

The remarkable feature about Seachange is that she never looks to be travelling that sweetly, nor does she noticeably seem to accelerate, but suddenly she is lengths clear of the opposition.

Perhaps because she races so low in front she never really impresses as a stylish galloper - until you look back to see where the others are.

Where Sunline galloped upright and always looked dominant, Seachange goes about her work with an almost nondescript air.

Even though Darci Brahma struck home-straight bad luck on Saturday, neither rider Michael Walker nor trainer Mark Walker was prepared to say the stallion should have beaten Seachange.

At the 300m, Walker tried to angle Darci Brahma into the clear outside the tiring Sir Slick, but Cameron Lammas, confident he was simply holding his entitled ground on Calveen on the outside, wasted no time advising Walker that wasn't an option.

Darci Brahma clipped Sir Slick's heels, something the side-on video doesn't clearly show, but is obvious on the head-on vision.

Michael Walker couldn't say Darci Brahma would have beaten Seachange, despite taking considerable ground off the mare from the 250m, but it has still turned the Stoney Bridge into a must-see.

"What the check did take off Darci was the explosive burst he's capable of," said Walker. "When he's rolling into his sprint he can really explode.

"After having his momentum checked he sprinted when he got into the clear, but he couldn't explode.

"We would have got very close to Seachange, but I can't say we'd have got past her, she might have had a bit left."

Winning rider Gavin McKeon left no one in doubt that he felt the wonderful mare did.

"When we turned for home I thought we were going to have a real fight on our hands to get past the leader Kristov and I was surprised when we went straight by him.

"I only had to keep her balanced and I wanted something up my sleeve in case something came at us late.

"As it turned out, I didn't need it. She'd have found something if a runner had come at her."

After watching the video replay numerous times yesterday morning, Mark Walker slightly changed his opinion - he hadn't been aware of Darci Brahma clipping heels.

"Seachange won very impressively and I initially thought there was no way we could have beaten her.

"I always thought she was very, very good, but she's now gone up even in my estimation.

"It was her day and congratulations to Ralph Manning and the team, but there is enough natural improvement in Darci Brahma to make it interesting for the Stoney Bridge if they have equal luck.

"It would be nice if that was the case and then we could find out for sure about the pecking order."

Ralph Manning confirmed yesterday morning that Seachange has flown through the race.

The TAB adjusted its Stoney Bridge market, but still has Darci Brahma as favourite at $3.50 over Seachange at $3.75.

"As a result of the race we've shortened Seachange in more than the other horse, but Darci Brahma remains the favourite," said head bookie Paul Lally.

Lally said the fixed odds betting on the Mudgway had been spectacular.

"It was on the same level as last year's Mudgway, with Xcellent and Miss Potential, which saw a great betting pool."

Mark Walker is taking Darci Brahma's campaign one race at a time.

"The Stoney Bridge is the only definite at this stage after which well look at the Toorak in Melbourne."

Walker is adamant he does not want to race Darci Brahma on a wet track and said if Hastings became wet he would consider Sydney's Epsom Handicap the same day as the Stoney Bridge.