This G2 mile at set weights and penalties saw three runners carrying big saddlecloth numbers once again form the trifecta. The second equal lowest locally rated runners in Seventh Up, Hiflyer and Let Me Road (all had 88 points) paid the dividends and the lowest rated runner Go Nicholas (83 points) finished eight and the stablemate of the winner was beaten just under three and a half lengths. It tells the story of the race and the bunched finish over the line showed this is now a G2 race only and that this field was nowhere near a G1 standard. Potential is not a proven commodity as it is unknown whereas runs on the board are as is the current race class a runner holds plus comparative performance versus each other are too. The first fifteen runners home were covered by five lengths and the last runner home was beaten just under nine lengths. Seventh Up was away averagely and settled down in the last three or four throughout but surged though stoutly up the ruck closer in to take the front inside the final 50m. The 6yo gelding was having just his sixteenth start today so has had his issues but now has won seven times and today was his first blacktype success. He had tackled G2 once before and finished fourth but for single a win since that race last Spring he was up today 3kg and that showed the true suspect depth in this field. That fourth at Riccarton was the first time he has been out of the money at the mile as he has won his other three attempts at this trip. Seventh Up has only finished worse than fourth just twice in his career and with a sixth and a seventh plus the most he has been beaten home lifetime is three and a half lengths. This once fabled race on the New Zealand calendar was a G2 today for the first time since G1 racing started in New Zealand, as the Easter Handicap (a real Handicap and not the set weights and penalties it is today) was that grade from the outset. It was the best mile event each season and in fact the best race each season as so many champions ran in this and more than once because it was the ultimate target, symbol and prestige event. It is not even run on Easter weekend anymore and the downgrade today to G2 was justified as mucking around with genuine history is always a dangerous game and is usually an irreversible mistake. The two up and coming 4yo male and female runners in the field Hiflyer and Let Me Roar ran second and third respectively. Hiflyer sat midfield the outer and then was aggressively sent up wide at the 600m and possibly a tad too soon, with the deep surge seeing him hit the front way too early at the 350m. He was a sitting duck and despite a rugged fight he got brought back to earth the closing stages with the irresistible finish of the winner. Let Me Roar had not been beaten before today and the 4yo mare was almost an arrogant entry or being deep-ended in a race the stable knew was not really that strong overall. It was her first blacktype attempt today and came at G2 plus to make it even more cheeky this was a first look at the mile too. She raced nice and close on settling and worked off and got through early the run home to set out after Hiflyer before this pair looked set for a 4yo duel with 200m to go. Try as she might she could not quite get ahead of Hiflyer but they had a ding-danger only for Seventh Up to bury them the closing stages. Scapolo ran a ripper fourth beaten less than a length and he was away at the start far from perfectly too, getting well back on the inner. The 7yo gelding ran home strongly closer in under a luxurious 56kg for a seventeen-win galloper. He is good proof for this race being a G2 at best as that is his true maximum in New Zealand regards winning and is likely down to G3 standard when in Australia. Sound Proposition, the winner of this last year with 55kg had not won a race since but today had to carry topweight of 58kg, ran on closer in fifth and was beaten just under two lengths. All Roads was sixth beaten just over three lengths and would have preferred more decent footing to enhance his ping. Chocante ran a ripper for seventh wider beaten just under three and a half lengths as he was second up and trapped four-wide (albeit with cover) for much of the race. He has it all head as middle distance is his true calling. Go Nicholas ran home well wider from a long way back and the stablemate of the winner was just a four-win galloper and tackling Open Class for the first time and it just so happened to be at G2. He is another effort that showed this field was not as deep as many assumed before having a thorough and measured look at the line up. Credit must go to the trainer Shelley Hale as both her runners were presented in grand order plus each drew wide it should be noted. Natuzzi the 8yo sprinter fought on okay as did Watch This Space, while Our King Sway came from last on his own and then second last across the top for eleventh beaten three and three-quarter lengths. Prince Of Passion was clearly away awkwardly at the start and was one of many that got a far from perfect start. He settled down second last and was last on his own across the top but ran home the deepest late to be beaten just over four lengths. Consensus was wide and working handy all the way and the effort told the run home but she never gave up completely. Farm Boy and El Pescado are forgivable and in particular the latter while Battle Time the leader weakened the run home. He had led up and won at G2 last Spring over a mile easily carrying 52kg but had done nothing since so to be carrying 57kg in this proved a bridge too far. Trojan Warrior was third last away and then got sent up deep to be four-wide and midfield after 400m. He kept coming forward to fifth and sixth across the top deep but had to weaken the run home and did. He was runner up in this race last year beaten a head at 55kg and today at G2 had 55kg so had his work cut out plus that far from perfect start never helped either. Shadow Fox was outclassed and at 55kg is not competitive at this level but amazingly had this weight at G1 over a mile at Trentham on January 28 and was beaten almost six and a half lengths. This race always produces local form for the next season or two such is the nature of a big field and being an Autumn date but set weights and penalties does jumble up things for the negative nowadays. This adopted all too regular occurrence now for a myriad of New Zealand feature events is a very worrying trend as it can only lead to weaker field depth and more downgrades. The winner is a genuine rising 7yo and may measure up at G1 in New Zealand as the depth is not here and even more so at WFA but that is for next season. Hiflyer has not won a third of his fifteen starts (five wins) to date so needs to justify the hype as he has an incredible six seconds now and being runner up more than saluting is a worrying trend. Let Me Roar has scope galore and will be hunting Group wins next season as she is a valuable broodmare already being so well related. Sound Proposition has more in store if he stays healthy and All Roads would relish better footing so Queensland could be an ideal carnival for him. Chocante is the stayer out of the race from a Cups perspective locally and may well be a WFA horse this Spring at home as the depth is poor at this grade in New Zealand.