This was likely the weakest G2 at WFA held this season so far and may well hold that unwanted mantle for decades as it ended up a paltry seven runners going to the post. There was zero depth in the field and hardly any WFA form plus most of them are shy winners or had not won for a while either. Splurge at his first G2 attempt in New Zealand and second ever WFA outing sat fourth in a good spot and surged into the lead with 200m to run. He held on well to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:22.19 on a day of slick times clocked. The 5yo gelding was winning his eighth race from eighteen starts and showed the WFA depth in New Zealand is very ordinary indeed at the moment. He was well beaten at G3 under WFA fresh up this campaign in a race where Scapolo ran second and of course was outclassed twice in Australia in Queensland at Doomben in G2 and G3 races in May and June. Scapolo the 8yo ran home well from last on his own and was the only real quality horse in the race but his best days are past him. Slimline got a G2 placing on her record having been well beaten at G3 twice at the start of this campaign and the mare ran on from fifth or sixth to get that early Christmas present on the post. La Fille En Jeu just missed third after racing in that spot mostly while the 3yo Hard Merchandize led up and was swamped from second the final 20m. Salamanca dropped out badly and Ringo was last beaten over thirty-five lengths but found to be suffering cardiac arrhythmia. Dreadful field and barely Listed grade let alone a G2 race and must be a downgrade race surely with if not a warning then be on a final chance. Splurge may not be a true WFA galloper as this proved little and he is still marked as a handicapper at this point but with the alarming lack of depth at the moment everything fancies their chances at any level in New Zealand.
Previous Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
MISS APPLETON
(NZ)
6M ALIGN (AUS) - OUR ASPIRATION (NZ) MI PREFERIDO (USA) |
ALYSHA COLLETT | 57.0 | G VILE | 10 |
|
|
KAWI
(NZ)
5G SAVABEEL (AUS) - MAGIC TIME (NZ) VOLKSRAAD (GB) |
J PARKES | 59.0 | A SHARROCK | 7 |
|
|
PURE CHAMPION
(IRE)
7H FOOTSTEPSINTHESAND (GB) - CASTARA BEACH (IRE) DANEHILL (USA) |
C J GRYLLS | 59.0 | LANCE O'SULLIVAN & ANDREW SCOTT | 8 |
|
|
I DO
(NZ)
6M NO EXCUSE NEEDED (GB) - FREEQUENCE (NZ) O'REILLY (NZ) |
J K RIDDELL | 57.0 | A SHARROCK | 2 |
|
|
MUFHASA
(NZ)
8G PENTIRE (GB) - SHEILA CHEVAL (NZ) MI PREFERIDO (USA) |
S C SPRATT | 59.0 | STEPHEN MCKEE | 6 |
|
|
JUSTANEXCUSE
(NZ)
5G NO EXCUSE NEEDED (GB) - AGGRESSIVE (NZ) VAL DANSANT (CAN) |
D G BRADLEY | 59.0 | L LATTA | 4 |
|
|
FRITZY BOY
(NZ)
6G BRILLIANCE (USA) - FRITZY GIRL (NZ) CACHE OF GOLD (USA) |
DAVID WALKER | 59.0 | A MACGREGOR | 3 |
|
|
O'CARTIER
(NZ)
6G MY HALO (ARG) - CARINDA (NZ) THE JOGGER (USA) |
C W JOHNSON | 59.0 | J F PARSONS | 10 |
|
|
IL QUELLO VELOCE
(NZ)
3F CAPTAIN RIO (GB) - NISHAANI (NZ) GOLD BROSE (AUS) |
N G HARRIS | 52.0 | J G SARGENT | 4 |
|
|
BULGINBAAH
(NZ)
7G STARJO (NZ) - LADY TRISTIMUS (NZ) TRISTIMUS (NZ) |
C W JOHNSON | 59.0 | KEN CROPP & CATHERINE WILSON | 8 |
|
|
ROSINA LAD
(NZ)
8G FALTAAT (USA) - ARCTIC LIFE (FR) ARCTIC TERN (USA) |
G MCKEON | 59.0 | D & S HAWORTH | 5 |
|
|
KRISTOV
(NZ)
6G SLAVIC (USA) - SANTA BARBRA (NZ) PIPERHILL (IRE) |
L CROPP | 58.0 | PHILLIP STEVENS | 6 |
|
|
ZVEZDA
(NZ)
6G HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS (NZ) - CARNIVAL GIRL (NZ) ROUGHCAST (USA) |
H S TINSLEY | 58.0 | KAY LANE | 8 |
|
|
DOYLE
(NZ)
8G DANCE FLOOR (USA) - SHELLEY LACK (NZ) PRINCE ECHO (IRE) |
J L WADDELL | 58.0 | HOWIE & LORRAINE MATHEWS | 3 |
|
|
TIT FOR TAAT
(NZ)
5G FALTAAT (USA) - MISS KIWITEA (NZ) TRULY VAIN (AUS) |
B HIBBERD | 58.0 | W HERBERT | 4 |
|
|
TIT FOR TAAT
(NZ)
4G FALTAAT (USA) - MISS KIWITEA (NZ) TRULY VAIN (AUS) |
D M WALSH | 57.0 | W HERBERT | 3 |
|
|
COUNTRY ROSE
(NZ)
5M CENTAINE (AUS) - BOLSHOI STAR (NZ) THREE LEGS (GB) |
M J WALKER | 55.5 | KEVIN GRAY | 8 |
