This race and result had raw emotion before the outcome then went to the stewards room afterwards and was all played out. The sentimental odds on favourite Rising Romance (Team Logan) was beaten a nose by the up and comer Sakhee’s Soldier (Murray Baker/Andrew Forsman) in this G1 over 2000m at WFA. One week earlier the G1 NZ Derby was won by Mongolian Khan (Baker/Forsman) over the favourite Volkstok’n’barrell (Team Logan) with Opie Bosson riding the winner and Matthew Cameron the runner. Today we saw Sakhee’s Soldier ridden by Matthew Cameron win by a nose over Rising Romance (Opie Bosson), so the same riders and stables were involved again. The tragic difference was that in between this week a brave co-trainer Dean Logan lost his battle with cancer, after fighting so hard to see Volkstok’n’barrell race in his main local task. The race was not run in anything spectacular and in fact the 2:06.03 was rather ordinary so the event was a 400m sprint home in essence. The first five home were within a length of each other at the post. Sakhee’s Soldier was handy the outer and had Rising Romance behind him the whole way. When the mare moved wide near the home turn it flushed out Sakhee’s Solider ahead to do the same and on the home turn is where the runner up was inconvenienced slightly. The first five home were across the track at the 200m slugging it out and Rising Romance actually narrowly got in front at the 100m and this is the main reason she never got awarded the race on protest. Sakhee’s Soldier never gives in and despite having his first crack today at G1 and WFA and over 2000m he came back to outbob the mare on the line. Farm Boy fought well for third after being outside the leader and was actually fifth at the 100m albeit close up. The trailer Lauren Tate was fourth beaten half a length and did reach third at the 100m but was closer in than anything else and it cost the mare as the track by this stage was favouring runners further out the run home. The leader Fast Dragon, which hung out the home turn, fought well to be beaten three quarters of a length at the line. Iamishwara, which had never raced clockwise before was beaten just over a length and running on at the line for sixth. Shuka was running on too for seventh and beaten just over a length. Soriano was disappointing and never looked likely on settling so her trip to tackle what could the strongest 2000m race at G1 under WFA in Australasia this year so far, the Queen Elizabeth at Randwick, must surely be in jeopardy. Delago’s Secret was poor and this useful handicap stayer may not be suited at WFA at this stage so either a spell will happen or back to his known strength of handicap racing. The JCA (Judicial Control Authority), after hearing submissions from all parties and then a summary from steward Joan Oatham that in his mind and that of his stipes panel the result should stay, also came to the same conclusion. It was a lengthy drawn out process and almost painful to watch as fighting for a thoroughbred horse race win in a small room at Ellerslie pales in significance of the tragic loss days earlier. Sadly no real winners and this race and in fact week will now be remembered for the wrong reasons. Sakhee’s Solider is tough but whether he is a real G1 at WFA galloper outside New Zealand is still a total unknown. Rising Romance will go to Australia now and be peaking at her next run or the one after that as so much big stakemoney and prestige on offer this autumn in Sydney. Farm Boy is a handicap stayer and he got a third at G1 under WFA today and that is alarming although it was more to do with being near the pace in a sprint home affair. Lauren Tate instead of fourth in her last two outings at this level should have at least one and probably both G1 placings on her dance card. Fast Dragon tried hard after getting a cheap lead and should win his share if kept to New Zealand racing only.