This G1 under WFA at 2000m saw the first three home superior at the line to the rest but that did not tell the whole story of the event. Kawi won his second G1 for the season and his first at the 2000m but just held on by a head from a fast finishing 4yo mare Stolen Dance that probably should have beaten him if ridden differently. The winning time of 2:04.28 is nothing flash but the leaders did go a bit early then buttoned it right off across the top before the final 600m in just over 34 seconds a key telling fact. Kawi was snagged to the rear early and was there until crucially going between runners across the top and then angling wider and reaching seventh and clear air the second deepest runner tuning in. It was across the top that Kawi passed Stolen Dance and she turned for home last while he was let rip unhindered from seventh, so that head margin at the line was well over a length turning for home and that mattered greatly in the end. The surge that Kawi has is big and matches his frame but he was not strong on the line at all so the jury is still out if he is a genuine middle distance galloper. It was his tenth win in twenty-one starts and his first clockwise and of course at 2000m. Stolen Dance may too have just come to the end of it near the line as her momentum looked like it may get her up to win the closing stages but she had given away far too much leeway to Kawi at this level. Authentic Paddy fought hard on the inner after leading for third and was only beaten half a length. He had to work a bit early then got annoyed from the 1400m to the 1000m by the rank outsider and this proved costly at the finish. The fact he is G1 competitive at WFA (this was his second placing at this level and scale in his last three starts) is more a reflection of the lack of depth in New Zealand at the moment. Authentic Paddy is a wet weather galloper and on fast or good footing has raced six times for just two placings. Soriano ran on strongly for fourth but got too far back and took an eternity to wind up though she did steam home the widest and her rider would surely like to run the race again tactically if he could. Splendido for a maiden 3yo battled on well from the trail the inner and he will be winning a race very soon for sure. Farm Boy was okay but looked like he had been trained for the extra 400m here a week later under handicap conditions. Pondarosa Miss never really got a clear crack at them the run home until the final 100m and the race was over by then plus the footing and way the race was run did not suit. Celebrity Miss was going to run last at the 200m then got warmed up late so she is near some form in the right race. Thunder Down Under, the other 3yo in the field, could not quicken when they sprinted hard so he is best back to his own age group and needs a stronger clip overall. King Krovanh had no chance when wide and sent up to attack midrace before stopping the run home as that is not his racing pattern at all and certainly not at G1 under WFA conditions. Kawi may have surged too soon but he barely held out a 4yo mare that would have beaten him but for crucially giving away that length and more before the home turn. Also the wet track warhorse Authentic Paddy was digging back at the line better than the first two home in fact after doing all the work up front and he is not really a G1 WFA galloper but is certainly durable. An example of the G1 WFA class time should Kawi go to Australia is the Cox Plate (2040m) this year was won in a canter by Winx in 2.02.98, a race record. That is compared to the 2:04.28 of Kawi for 2000m, so nine lengths slower on time and then for the 40m the gap would be huge. That may be Moonee Valley and a freak win but if Kawi tackles the Australian Cup at Flemington next March then his time today at Ellerslie would not have won any running of the race this century at least. In fact no Australian Cup this century has ever gone slower than 2:03.69 and three times they have gone under 2 minutes with 1:58.7 the record held by the great Makybe Diva. Once they run around two minute times it helps the swampers as a rule but you still have to be able to run the 2000m out no matter where you are racing and chinks in an armour quickly get exposed. Flemington being big and roomy will suit Kawi but it is also an unforgiving track and the depth he might strike in March will at least be lessened by many Sydney big players waiting for the rich carnival on their doorstep not that long afterwards. ‘