The 2012 running will be the most talked about running of a G1 race in New Zealand for all the wrong reasons and more so for what incredibly did not take place in the aftermath. The first past the post filly Rollout The Carpet was a sure thing to be relegated, after ending up causing utter baby carnage and chain reaction chaos to several runners not once but twice. She was having her first ever start clockwise and clearly there is a problem, so being ordered to trial afterwards was a given much like being relegated but just back to second was controversial though not as much as the rider being deemed blameless. James McDonald did not get suspended for what will be the biggest left-hand movement in any G1 race ever run in New Zealand and it was either loss of control or not doing enough and often enough to at least correct such blatant waywardness. The filly lost the race and must trial and the bettors get penalized but extraordinarily the rider was untouched, which is difficult to accept with any applied rational thinking or common sense in regards cause and effect. This G1 feature juvenile was run at 1400m up until 2002 but is now a 1200m contest and comes before the only other G1 for youngsters, the Sires Produce at Awapuni over 1400m. Warhorse was an absolute certainty beaten and ‘heavens to Murgatroyd’ would have won clear cut but for being hampered and then absolutely carted ‘stage left’ and carved up. He looks a colt of real power and will be a star next season. The Australian bred filly Rollout The Carpet has suddenly blossomed over summer but clockwise she is a query with or without seagulls ahead on the track, which farcically also copped more blame than the rider. It is tough being a seagull on raceday! Silk Pins nearly won the race by default, as she missed the carpet being pulled out from underneath several runners from the 250m to the 100m. If she had won the race it would have completed an ‘S’ slam for the four G1 races at the carnival, with Silent Achiever winning the Derby, Shez Sinsational the Auckland Cup and Scarlett Lady the WFA NZ Stakes. All were female gallopers too but that is no surprise as they dominate New Zealand racing every year and have done so this century. James McDonald crossed the line first in all four G1 races until the relegation and has become a specialist atop female gallopers at this level. The winning time of the Diamond Stakes of 1:11.84 was disturbingly slow compared to two other races held at 1200m on the card even when factoring they were for older horses. The 3yo Listed sprint ran 1.62 seconds faster or about ten lengths, while a Ratings 75 clocked 1:11 and was over five lengths superior. The interference and chain reaction carnage caused by the filly first past the post would have contributed to the time being suspect. Special mention to Mai Guru which may have set a record in one race for coping the widest trip and worst luck that most horses would not encounter in a lifetime. His effort to finish ninth beaten just over three lengths was remarkable and the gelding could not have been ridden any worse or found as much trouble more often than it did. He even got the big sandwich near the line and the will to compete of this youngster must be immense. Several nice types in the field but far too much trouble caused by one runner to weigh it up fairly, as those that missed the strife probably benefited by a substantial margin.