This G3 Open Handicap over 2300m was run on a testing sludgy slow track and sitting very wide was a huge advantage, which is precisely what the easy winner Concert Hall did. The 5yo mare raced fourth wide mostly then swam up and free-styled clear at the 300m to score by almost three and a half lengths in 2:24.18. It was her sixth win in sixteen starts and her second G3 win. She handled the testing holding mud and on the minimum of 53kg ran out the stamina trip with no problems whatsoever. The winners and where they turned for home in race order were seventh (six-off the inside and ten lengths from the leader), fourth (on the fence and length and a half from the leader), sixth (ten-off the inside and four lengths from the leader), third (eight-off the inside and two lengths from the leader), sixth (twelve-off the inside and four lengths from the leader), fourth (twelve-off the inside and two and a half lengths from the leader), ninth (twelve-off the inside and four lengths from the leader) and second (ten-off the inside and two lengths from the leader). The track was a testing Slow8 and therefore wider the better was the play almost all day such was the obvious track bias. Platinum Invador, also on the minimum of 53kg, ran on strongly from back on the inner once angled out wider for the faster lanes and after his second today he won next time out at G3 and in his next three runs was placed at G1 and G2. Dolcetto the topweight was a brave third under 60kg as he gave the two that beat him home both 7kg. He sat fifth wide the whole way and kept trying hard albeit distant when he reached third near the line. Jacksstar at $25 ran on solidly from well back carrying 53kg but he never fired a shot after this in three starts in Cup or Blacktype races. Hunta Pence led up then was headed across the top but boxed on for fifth beaten six and a half lengths but was just a neck and a nose from third. Collinstreet ran on well from last on settling while Yatima fought on well from eighth on settling. The 10yo Sampson was a not too bad eighth and Toms, a plugging ninth albeit beaten over ten lengths The rest plugged only too or stopped badly in a field that overall lacked depth for sure as shown by in a field of 15 runners one runner had 60kg, two runners had 55.5kg (a 10yo and a 7yo) and the rest had the minimum of 53kg. The footing and associated track bias played the biggest role in the result and some form came out of this unsurprisingly afterwards on better and more trustable track conditions.