This Listed 1400m for fillies and mares saw a course specialist in Illuminati revel in the awful Arawa Park footing and win easily. The 6yo mare raced third before coming through closer in to take the lead near the home turn then drew clear once steered wider to win by two and threequarter lengths. Illuminati clocked 1:26.75 and was winning her ninth race in thirty-four starts. She has earned three G3 placings this season so to get a Listed win showed she is a later maturer and durable. On the first day of this season she was runner up at G3 with wet footing the key plus seven of her nine career wins have come at 1400m. Madonna Mia, the visiting stayer, came home resolutely for second from last and is in for a good winter being just second up today. Lady Zafira also came from the back and cut the corner with the mare reaching second at the 200m only to lose the runner up spot on the post. Designated Driver was a sound fourth after being tardy and then taking the closest in route across the top and was third at the 200m and 100m still. Alleyoop after blundering at the start also ran on and is a next upper with the key being she like most ahead cut the corner near the home turn and saved heaps on a very holding and gluey track. Fascination Street, the winner of this last year, was only a fair sixth beaten five lengths while La Fille En Jeu showed she could handle the higher grades with a useful seventh. Procurement after racing second weakened in the adverse footing (since retired to be a broodmare) and the leader, Super Trouper, was ditto though she has improvement to come for sure. The rest never really copped the Arawa Park footing and like many on the day can be forgiven. The winning time was almost a second (six lengths) inferior to that posted by the winner of the last event, a Benchmark 65, by an unbeaten in 3yo He Kin Fly so that augurs well for his future. There will be a stream of winners from the race on wet ground for sure and maybe a few will have a freshen up or spell such was the draining nature of the event.