This Listed 3yo over 1500m drew a modest field and three of the ten runners were maidens and another three were last start maiden winners rising multiple grades and one of them won this. The winners and where they turned for home in race order were second (outer), fourth (three lengths from the leader), eighth (five lengths of leader), fourth (two lengths from leader), third (trailing leader), led, third (length from the leader) and eighth (three lengths from the lead). It was hard to make up too much ground all day and why so many riders came wider than necessary or steered wider is still a mystery as the shortest way home is often the only difference between many horses in ability. The track today at Ellerslie was somehow allowed to be released as a Good3 but the times all day showed that was not believable whatsoever and the downgrade to a Dead4 and then later a Dead5 still seemed far from the mark. The times were not flash all day and in Race Six they ran 1:24.87 for 1400m and a standard maiden can run 1:24 on decent footing (but was still supposed a Dead4 at this stage) and this was a Ratings 72 (three grades above maiden class) and the last two mile races ran 1:36.74 (it was a G3 race) and 1:36.53 (a Benchmark 65). Espresso Martini, a last start 10K maiden winner midweek at New Plymouth trailed the leaders and got off at the 150m and led with 15m to go and scored by a long neck in 1:30.75. It was her second win from four starts and obviously her first try at Blacktype plus she has yet to miss paying a dividend. Jip Jop Rock led up and kicked away looking the winner half way down the home straight only to be run over the final 15m and was in some respects disappointing. The Australian bred filly if she is as good as her yard thinks, and they won the G1 1000 Guineas last month with a stablemate so have a good yardstick, will have wondered why she did not win this. Perhaps the winner is better than they think and there was a gap back to third. Factor Me In, also an Australian bred, ran on gamely for third over two lengths behind having sat seventh or eighth surrounded. Masque ran on closer in for fourth while the maiden Ambitious Showgirl did well after being back and wide then coming forward deep to fifth then fourth across the top. She is a winner in waiting for sure back to her proper class. Rocket Fuel sat outside the leader and disappointed the run home to finish sixth beaten three and a half lengths. She was fractious pre-start and had to be vet checked plus lost her left-hind plate in the running so there are a few excuses combined that did work against the filly. Star Karen, a maiden, raced fourth then fifth and was beaten just over three and a half lengths, so did well and would also beat her own grade on this effort. Prince Albert, a maiden, was last then wide after being crowded early and he was hampered at the 100m when having something to offer and did run on again late. All three of the maidens in this field would win next time out back to their proper class if drawn okay and on reasonable footing. Annie Okay is a total forgive as she got back and was in the rear duo then when about to launch up the ruck she was coming only to be checked at the 120m. Bobby Dee was dreadful in finishing a clear last and something was not right, as this will have been a real head scratcher too his yard. There are winners galore to come out of this race as it was not run at a gutbusting clip and the three maidens in the race all ran respectable to be beaten three and a half to four and a half lengths only. Espresso Martini has tactical speed and the breeding to win several more races being by a super (albeit now defunct) sire and out of a dam that won three races (once at G1 and once at G3) and was also twice placed at G1, so she has it all ahead. Jip Jop Rock is by the same sire as the winner, so both these fillies will run middle distance and should be Oaks prospects too. Several runners in this had legitimate excuses but a handful did not, so that asterisk of uncertainty hovers for sure until more conclusive data can be measured and analysed and assessed. Every Blacktype race held today in New Zealand were unsurprisingly won by female gallopers with this 3yo filly Espresso Martini and later in the card at Ellerslie today the 5yo mare Love Affair while the 6yo mare Glory Days won at Wanganui.