The track was a bottomless bog and every race saw runners beaten twenty lengths with several over thirty and one even forty lengths plus behind at the line. The G3 Cup here was run and won in 2:31.38 to show just how deep and testing the Arawa Park track was today and it saw the runner up from last year in Pump Up The Volume score. A jumpers highweight earlier the day ran 2:30.86 or just over three lengths superior so once the Arawa Park circuit was opened up the mud got stickier and tackier and more gelatinous and glue-like clearly. It still is unfathomable that a field of jumpers or future ones run superior time to a G3 handicap Cup. Pump Up The Volume hadn’t won a race since December of 2013 so had almost forgotten what the winners stall looked like today to win his fifth race from thirty-five starts. His win conversion is poor but his place percentage is thirteen times or a third of his starts roughly and gets even better when first four is equated as then in the seventy plus percent realm. The noted mudder was fourth up so seasoned enough to get through the bog track and find a second wind, as he did the run home. The 6yo gelding from the Ralph Manning yard wore down a game Miss Mossman the closing stages to win and ended up scoring by almost three lengths as she tied up dramatically late. Miss Mossman was a clear leader and had a five length buffer on the field across the top to near the home turn so may have been able to win if not let loose so far from home. It is something we will never know but the way she stopped once headed just 100m out does suggest she had gone for home way too far out. Decorah was a brave third under topweight of 59kg for a mare after sitting in the trail and reaching second across the top before the impost got too the 5yo mare. Flying Orca ran a sound race for fourth after being back then sweeping around wide to give the mares the two, three and four finishing positions at the post. She was the first runner home that came from the back to add more merit to the effort. Mako got a second wind after being wide then drifting while the margins of defeat started getting huge from then onwards. Most if not all of these runners will sleep well after such a grueling contest with the last runner home, a last start easy winner in Sea Eagle, beaten almost forty-five lengths. Many can be forgiven as this track was so deep and holding it could have held the bog snorkeling championships in places.