The G1 Railway (1200m) was a tame affair with the first two on settling fighting out the finish clear of the rest. Four of the first five runners home had the first four positions in the running throughout so track bias and race pattern played a monumental role in the outcome today. Ryan Mark sat outside the leader Allez Eagle and out-toughed him in what was a sprint home sprint in effect to win by a short neck in 1.11.03. It was after many years of trying the first Ellerslie win for his trainer John Morell and he picked a fine time to break his duck. Ryan Mark was winning his eighth race from just fifteen starts and did look thrown in at 56kg especially when earlier this season he ran second at G1 under WFA carrying 59kg behind Kawi, after having a horror hard run. Allez Eagle tried to shake off Ryan Mark turning for home but he is a relentless stalker and once in a ding donger with him was always going to lose. Natuzzi was the only run on type at the finish coming from eighth and he did so under 56kg as well. Sacred Star under 59kg ran on well late and the tricky footing cost him any win chance plus losing a handy sit wide turning for home proved fatal. On a dry track he most likely would have blown this lot away. Statham fought on for fifth after being third throughout while Caellum was okay for sixth after being in about that position for most of the race. Barbaric ran on okay late and Fascination Street whacked away for eighth while Trepidation boxed on too for ninth. The rest were well beaten with Whosyourmaster a poor last but he was reported as having a high temperature the next day so may have been below par on the day. The first four home are all G1 sprinters with Ryan Mark and Sacred Star the genuine G1 performers. Track bias and awful sluggish footing once some rain gets on it made for vast no go zone areas at Ellerslie and that puts a question mark on the entire days racing. As a wet weather guide it will obviously stand up but overall was not a true or fair guide. Sedate run G1 Railways at Ellerslie are becoming an alarming trend and this was not that long ago the premier Sprint race in a New Zealand racing season by far. That mantle is one it clearly no longer holds.