This G1 at WFA over 2000m saw almost not one position in the running change at the line and on a poorly presented and performing Ellerslie track continued the demise of favourites all day. Not one favourite won all day as the track looked off and behaved very tricky after a little rain with that watering in the lead up once again causing chaos for bettors and they are the life blood of the sport. The WFA depth has been dreadful for ages in New Zealand the result today only confirmed the obvious plus showed racetracks and bias are rampant with just a little rain causing all hell to break loose for bettors. Authentic Paddy, an 8yo that not won a race since April of 2016 and that came at G3 in the South Island at Riccarton, led and was allowed to canter around before making it a 400m sprint home. He had raced at G1 a staggering eighteen times prior to today for five placings (two seconds and three thirds). He won by a length and a quarter and clocked a very pedestrian 2:06.321 so what the other riders were doing or thinking defies belief and it must be they had zero confidence in their mounts to be able to do any work in the running. Today was the eleventh win for Authentic Paddy from seventy-seven starts so it is not like as a well-tried 8yo that he has improved and it seems the depth is non-existent and everything gets a turn these days. Lizzie L’Amour sat second and finished in that placing after going up to lodge a bid at the 200m and looking likely. Volkstok’n’barrell after sitting fifth the inner got through to third at the 200m and held that position albeit beaten three and a half lengths. Consensus trailed the leaders but like many on the day when drawn out did not ping at all and finished fourth beaten almost seven and a half lengths. The margins showed the track was biased and off and the tepid rate the race was allowed to be run at just exacerbated the poor visual nature of the race the run home and at the finish. It was a poor spectacle indeed for a G1 race over Summer when the audience is bigger than normal. Benzini was one of the very few to run on a shade from back on the inner but he came through to fifth at the 200m and was beaten over eight lengths at the line. Stolen Dance plugged on and Sofia Rosa did too with the latter in foal. Hi Flyer the favourite was awful and never looked a hope at his first G1 under WFA outing and first look at 2000m. He is very one-dimensional and needs a solid pace to bury his rivals so his options are shrinking and as for WFA and at middle distance no one is the wiser as a massive asterisk of doubt is already on him. Chance To Dance after doing a bit of work early stopped badly and his effort was blatant proof the track was awful as he had won prior at G3 under WFA and third home that day was Authentic Paddy. He somehow lost over thirteen lengths in the interim and that is simply not acceptable as fair dinkum. Endean Rose stopped badly too after being wide early and it was not a proper reflection surely or else the G1 WFA form in New Zealand is worse than even thought. She was third at G1 under WFA at 2040m at Hastings in October behind Wait A Sec and Gingernuts and sixth that day two lengths behind her was none other than Authentic Paddy. This whole meeting today needs a line drawn through it as the track was so biased and poorly presented and performing. The WFA depth in New Zealand has been poor for many years but could be at its lowest ebb with old handicappers winning now at this level (Close Up an 8yo gelding, Wait A Sec a 7yo gelding and Authentic Paddy an 8yo gelding) to name a trio). It is like the movie Cocoon is happening at not just the WFA level but Open Handicaps in staying and even sprinting racing in New Zealand as nothing seems to be coming through to replenish the old guard. If the 3yo depth was not so dubious too this season it could be the only explanation for the younger horses not to have a crack at a clearly ripe for the picking WFA, as the older well tried handicappers are having a real Last Of The Summer Wine season so far.