Peter Moody has often said that punters will not see the best of Typhoon Tracy until she is put under pressure, and at the 500-metre mark of yesterday's group 1 race, he knew the time had come to test out that theory.

Not even Moody, her biggest fan, could have asked for a more resounding endorsement. ''She's all racehorse,'' he said proudly after the mare had destroyed her rivals with a sizzling final sprint. ''When she's made to work, she produces her best.''

Moody rated the 2¾-length victory as possibly the mare's best, as she genuinely looked in some trouble on the home corner when she was out three-wide trying to reel in Joku and Barbaricus.

Moody sensed it, as did her jockey Luke Nolen, and the five jockeys who were up against her. But once the field straightened for home, she sped away for a fourth group 1 win.

''It's hard not to be taken aback by what she does,'' Nolen said. ''That was truly a terrific win.''

Typhoon Tracy's time of one minute 34.43 seconds has been bettered only once over the 1600 metres at Caulfield, and that was by dual Cox Plate winner Fields Of Omagh in his Futurity win in 2006.

Left in her wake yesterday were runner-up Dao Dao ($7), who held Sniper's Bullet ($6.50) by half a length, with 2008 Caulfield Cup placegetter Barbaricus ($51) showing a return to form with an encouraging fourth.

Yesterday's run was Typhoon Tracy's last in Melbourne this season but her future is still up in the air. Moody hinted that she may stay in Australia instead of travelling to Hong Kong in April.

''I've travelled and been beaten, and it's no fun and there are plenty of good races here,'' he said.

''Whatever the case, she has her next run in Sydney, whether it be the Coolmore [Classic], Queen Of The Turf or [George] Ryder Stakes. One of those races will lead into either Hong Kong, the All-Aged Stakes or the Doncaster.'' Jockey Brett Prebble, while thoroughly impressed with the winner, was delighted with the effort of Dao Dao. ''Second-up over a mile is never easy and he's more effective with the cut out of the track, but he finished the race off strongly - just like you'd want him to. He's going the right way.''

Next week's Australian Cup lost two of its potential contenders with the poor run from New Zealand galloper Lord Tavistock and the injury to the Gai Waterhouse-trained Joku.

''He didn't pull up well and his action wasn't right, so I pulled him up just 50 metres after the line,'' said Joku's rider, Brad Rawiller. ''There's a problem with him because he's much better than that.''

Kiwi jockey Jason Waddell said Lord Tavistock, who had won at the elite level in New Zealand at his previous start, was likely to return home instead of backing up in the Australian Cup. ''He won't back up after that - he was just too disappointing,'' he said.

ANDREW EDDY -The Age

February 28, 2010