The track at Awapuni was a complete bog and the Listed Open mile saw the first two across the top to the home turn form the quinella. The vast majority of winners turned for home in front or right there and wider out as the track had a huge no go zone closer in so provided biased racing. Aide Memoire was a just a four-race winning mare coming into today but a noted mudlark and she relished the testing footing to win by half a length in 1:45.30. The 4yo mare came from a last start Ratings 75 win to jump multiple classes and prevail at her first blacktype attempt and at what was her first try at the mile. Anniestar was an out of form local that rediscovered it today and adored the heavy footing as she sat back early then improved markedly closer in midrace before challenging across the top. She had a narrow lead turning for home angled wider and only got outslogged in the mud with 50m to go. Endure ran home well wider from the back for a close third while Cassie Anne finished a sound fourth and has not run a poor race this time in. Weissmuller fought well for fifth after racing third or fourth wide mostly. Kipkeino a stayer resuming was seen running on late for sixth and he is a known bog tracker. The next cluster of four over the line, Thorn Prince, Wiggle, Gwynethanne and Gustavo were not too bad albeit beaten six to seven lengths in total. Thorn Prince carried 60kg and did not really like the footing plus gave the first three home 7kg but importantly he got anchored closer in the run home than most. Gwynethanne also was in the perilous slower lanes the run home so always had an excuse against her chances. Gustavo lost his place across the top and on a day like today you could not afford to have momentum impeded. Danza Lad is a known wet tracker but he dropped out though that may be more in regards to not being seasoned enough this time in plus carrying 59kg was an ask. Spoke To Carlo was dreadful as a clear favourite to beat one home and be almost eleven lengths from the winner at the line. He had won before on heavy footing in the 1:42 to 1:43 range for the mile but never went a yard in this 1:45 plus bog range. Francome led and stopped badly across the top to end up down to a walk and beaten almost fifty-eighth lengths so is clearly not a true mudder. The track presented today at Awapuni was terrible and biased so this result is tainted for sure as so many runners got penalized by either their racing pattern or because riders steered them into the no go slower lanes closer in. The time of the race was only a length and a half superior to the following event a Ratings 75 (three grades below a Listed Open Handicap at least), which brings some reality to the result. The form from this race will only be relevant over winter as the tracks get even worse and times deteriorate further.