The track presented today at Ellerslie was absurdly biased beyond belief towards on pacers with eight of the ten winners either leading or trailing. The G3 2000m at WFA saw the leader Saint Emilion win comfortably with the brutal track bias playing right into his hands. The 5yo gelding scored by two lengths and clocked 2:02.51 to record his eleventh win in twenty-four starts so is compiling a good win rate. He has won from 1200m to 2300m and now looks like WFA is his permanent path. Today was his first Stakes success so to bank a G3 win is a sign of more to come and higher up the Group table is likely being a pace influence that can control the fate of others. The runner up Benzini was huge coming from last for second and he is G1 player in New Zealand such is the current lack of WFA depth. Consensus, which won this last year, trailed to the home turn and fought on well for third. Authentic Paddy could not get the lead and is never the same horse when he does not control the pace. He sat fourth the outer and had every chance but as usual boxed on grimly. Promise To Reign ran on well late from the back and for a one-win mare has it all ahead this season. St Jean had not raced since September of 2014 and ran a cracker for a new yard so should be a Cups force over summer and into the autumn with the G1 Auckland Cup (3200m) in March the ultimate target. The rest of the field was not too far away and most of them are handicappers so back to proper race conditions they should find form. There will be form from this race over summer and autumn but there has to also so see the brakes tapped in a cautionary manner assessment-wise as the track bias today at Ellerslie was as bad as ever seen.
Previous Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
CONSENSUS
(NZ)
4M POSTPONED (USA) - KATE CROSS (NZ) CAPE CROSS (IRE) |
ALYSHA COLLETT | 56.5 | STEPHEN MCKEE & EDDIE CHIPPENDALE | 5 |
|
|
ZENNISTA
(NZ)
6M ZENNO ROB ROY (JPN) - ZARNITSA (NZ) MAROOF (USA) |
MARK DU PLESSIS | 57.0 | L LATTA | 7 |
|
|
SHEZ SINSATIONAL
(NZ)
5M EKRAAR (USA) - ORIGINAL SIN (NZ) SHINKO KING (IRE) |
O P BOSSON | 57.0 | A SHARROCK | 1 |
|
|
DUCKWORTH LEWIS
(NZ)
3G POSTPONED (USA) - MS MAGENTA (NZ) GROOM DANCER (USA) |
ALYSHA COLLETT | 51.0 | LEO MOLLOY | 3 |
|
|
ELBLITZEM
(NZ)
7G ELNADIM (USA) - ARDUOUS (NZ) MOHAMED ABDU (IRE) |
V A COLGAN | 59.0 | ROBERT PRISCOTT & CLAYTON CHIPPERFIELD | 1 |
|
|
BOUNDLESS
(NZ)
5M VAN NISTELROOY (USA) - NOTHING LESS (NZ) STAR WAY (GB) |
JAMES MCDONALD | 57.0 | STEPHEN MCKEE | 7 |
|
|
GALLIONS REACH
(NZ)
6G VICTORY DANCE (IRE) - DORINKA (NZ) STRAIGHT STRIKE (USA) |
G MCKEON | 59.0 | RICHARD YUILL | 5 |
|
|
STABINTHEDARK
(NZ)
5G DAGGERS DRAWN (USA) - CHAMBERTINE (NZ) MARKELLA (FR) |
S C SPRATT | 59.0 | DONNA & DEAN LOGAN | 8 |
|
|
FISCAL MADNESS
(NZ)
5G VOLKSRAAD (GB) - BELLE NUITE (NZ) BALMERINO (NZ) |
O P BOSSON | 59.0 | J G SARGENT | 5 |
|
|
MILLENNIUM
(NZ)
8G PRIZED (USA) - ROYAL MED (USA) MEDIEVAL MAN (USA) |
L G INNES | 58.5 | STEPHEN & TREVOR MCK | 1 |
|
|
ST REIMS
(NZ)
5H ZABEEL (NZ) - L'QUIZ (USA) L'ENJOLEUR (CAN) |
L G INNES | 58.5 | 3 | |
|
|
EL DUCE
(NZ)
8G LORD BALLINA (AUS) - EL FUGAZ (NZ) MY SIR AVON (NZ) |
L J ALLPRESS | 58.5 | DONNA & DEAN LOGAN | 7 |
|
|
ANATOMY
(AUS)
5M THUNDER GULCH (USA) - MAURINE (NZ) HARBOR PRINCE (USA) |
L G INNES | 56.0 | JIM GIBBS | 1 |
|
|
MAGIC WINNER
(NZ)
7G MIGHTY GREY (AUS) - HAGEN'S PRIDE (NZ) CHIEF HAGEN (NZ) |
G J GRYLLS | 58.5 | MICHAEL MORONEY & ANDREW CLARKEN | 3 |
|
|
BEXLEY
(NZ)
6M HONOR GRADES (USA) - WESTEND (NZ) COPENHAGEN (GB) |
T D COLLETT | 56.0 | GEOFF GEORGETTI | 5 |
