The G1 NZ Derby (2400m) was a very messy start with all sorts happening from crowding galore and hampering and tardiness plus even a couple of blatant bucking displays to make it worthy of a rodeo. The two runners that bucked violently soon after the start were Lincoln Blue (finished sixteenth) and Cha Siu Bao (finished last) and both were tailed off a lap out. They caught the back of the field at the halfway mark and Cha Siu Bao had the audacity to make a wide run before the effort took a toll across the top. Gingernuts won by a length and backed up his prior G2 win at 2100m where he beat most of these fair and square after giving them all a start. The gelding was not thought of that highly clearly as he was a late nomination for this race having not ever been considered until after his prior win. Gingernuts got a soft run seventh the outer and moved up wider before the home turn before being unleashed and looming large at the 200m. He took the lead at the 100m and won easier than his length margin can convey to clock 2:28.27, which is a standard sort of time in recent years for this race since moved to an early Autumn date. Today was his fourth win from seven starts and gave Team Te Akau a first Derby win, as many of their horses are bought to show up as speedy youngsters. He was a cheapie for Team Te Akau costing 42.5K and since a dominant win against a poor lot over a mile at Te Teko in an 8K race, of which nothing has won since it should be added, he has won at G2 and now G1. Rising Red was a midweeker from Melbourne and ran a brave second after working hard wide for the first half of the race, so he may well have won given less an overlander. Jon Snow ran on gamely for third after sitting midfield the inner conserving energy but was a length and a half behind the runner up. Beaumarchais, the stablemate of the winner and paying $88 a win, ran a game fourth from midfield the outer. Sacred Elixir ran a much better fifth than it can ever read or seem after being settled so far back in fourteenth the outer and staggeringly did not get improved until just before the home turn. He straightened up eleventh and then was angled back inwards one-off but ran on stoutly like a stayer to be beaten three lengths and should have been in the money for sure. Who knows if asked to lengthen earlier as he keeps coming and is not a sprint home sort at all and never has been, so look for a riding change next time seen out should he try Australia again. Charles Road was running on at the line while Camino Rocoso, which has never led on settling in his entire career did so strangely today, weakened once headed at the 300m. Excalibur was barely a pass mark as was Mongolian Legend while Highlad had every possible chance. Wyndspelle was too far back on settling, like Sacred Elixir, but was noticed warming up very late. Savile Row the favourite was a big flop after racing third and wayward at times hanging outwards. He was hampered by the winner with 300m to go but was not going good enough at the time and the colt was beaten eight lengths. He failed big time today and so did Ugo Foscolo (stopped badly in Sydney), the horse that beat him into second in the G1 2000 Guineas (1600m) last November. Leading Role ran on a shade like a one-paced stayer while the rest were outclassed, did not stay or put on rodeo acts. Gingernuts is clearly the 3yo that developed the most over Summer and did something today that no other of has been capable of so far in New Zealand and that is winning back-to-back at Group level. Rising Red gives the form, depth and result of the race some realism and perspective being a midweeker prior, so unless he has improved a massive amount too like the winner this year some caution must be adopted. It look like, as it does often, that most of this field are not true stayers and never will be and several are wet trackers that never got the conditions that do happen a lot now the race was moved to this date. A trio of runners earlier in the day namely Tavidream (won easily) and Sacred Way (solid late run for third in the same event) and Comin’through (won the final event) could be Queensland Derby bound and Gingernuts is a distinct possibility to be on that same trajectory. The ATC Derby in Sydney however may in fact be a better target if the wet tracks continue for Gingernuts plus the runner up Rising Red looks set for a rematch there as he can swim too. Gingernuts has a massive number of owners and will soon be the Tangerine Biscuit it seems as a headline grabbing moniker.