This G2 Open Class handicap mile drew a dubious field with many out of form runners and old horses, so the depth was poor and the winner On The Rocks was just a three-race winner. The 4yo On The Rocks was the third equal lowest race winning runner and on the minimum of 52kg (he carried 52.5kg as the rider could not do that weight so allowed to ride half a kilo over) and started favourite to show you the lack of depth. The least winning runner in the field was a 7yo one-race winner in Giovanni Canaletto that had 56kg (only one runner carried more incredibly), to give you an idea of the lack of field depth. Giovanni Canaletto won a Leopardstown maiden in October of 2014 but was asked to carry 56kg in a G2 mile in New Zealand says it all. He has not paid a dividend in two years and eight months. The track at Ellerslie today was posted as a Good3 but the winners in the main came well off the inside and many got angled deliberately up the middle lanes, which looks and is quite unnerving for bettors. The winners and where they turned for home in race order were seventh (three-off the fence and three lengths from the leader), seventh (two-off the fence and three and a half lengths from the leader), led (one-off the fence and a length in front), tenth (four-off the fence and four lengths from the leader), fifth (four-off the fence and three lengths from the leader), ninth (six-off the fence and five lengths from the leader), sixth (nine-off the fence and three lengths from then leader), led (four-off the fence and a neck in front), sixth (eight-off the fence and two lengths from the leader) and led (two-off fence and two lengths in the lead). On The Rocks raced seventh the outer in a good spot and came up deeper sixth turning for home on the superior lanes at Ellerslie that visually make no sense if the track is a Good3 as stewards posted. He was fourth and coming at the 200m and second at the 100m before his momentum took him to the front with 25m to go and score by almost a length in 1:34.40. It was his fourth win in ten starts and his third at Blacktype level (he has G2 and Listed win as a 3yo to go now with this G2 on Open Class) and all of his wins have come clockwise. Tiptronic, which has not won a race for over a year, ran home strongly from back and wide carrying 53.5kg. Strangely this 5yo gelding had run third at G3 at his prior start carrying 55kg and dropped 1.5kg in this. The Mitigator raced on the pace then led after 400m and was only headed the final 25m in what was his second Blacktype attempt (he failed at G3 as a 3yo), so the 4yo on the minimum of 52kg found this very manageable. Magnum ran an honest fourth after a good run fourth or fifth the outer and was close up at the line but is yet to win at the mile. Yorkshire Dales went from a Benchmark82 win last start to a G2 Open Handicap mile here and finished fifth beaten just under three lengths so the jump that should be four or five grades clearly is not so in New Zealand. Consensus has been racing dreadfully this time in but ran a better race today back to a mile and G2 and carried 55.5kg after her rider was half a kilo over. She had been carrying 57kg at WFA in her prior two runs and the broodmare paddock cannot be far away as going around for the sake of going around makes no sense and runs an unnecessary risk. The 7yo mare was put on the speed then took a sit and was still second at the 200m before wilting to be beaten almost three and a half lengths. Sultan Of Swing was left topweight at 57.5kg when the actual topweight on paper Megablast on 59kg was scratched. He ran on okay from the rear duo late and was beaten just over three and a half lengths. Watch This Space was wide third mostly and had to feel the strain but battled away for seventh and did well not to drop right out. Love Affair ran second favourite but settled down too far away though she ran on late the inside lanes, a noted all day no go zone. Belle Du Nord settled down eighth but never pinged the run home and the two-win 4yo mare carried the second equal highest weight at 56kg showing the depth was more than dubious. She had 4kg more than the winner, a male 4yo, and that makes no sense but explains why this only two-race -race winner did not produce her usual surge. Ronchi disappointed again and Contessa Vanessa after a soft run fourth the inner was a poor twelfth beaten six lengths. Hello It's Me was disappointing again while Bella Court flopped again and Giovanni Canaletto needs middle distance and not to be weighted so ludicrously high as he has done nothing for years. The weights in this were quite dumbfounding on several runners and it was not a G2 level field with too many usual go around suspects from many times this season and the one before and before that and so on. On The Rocks has the most upside in the race and duly won but it can only get harder now as he will get a proper weight next time out and meet some younger and not so worn out opposition. He is yet to win left-handed (only been tried once that direction despite being trained that way of going) so has a few things yet to tick off. There were so many in this that are a long time between drinks runners that have almost forgotten how to win that the depth was more than dubious and certainly not a genuine G2 or in fact anywhere near it.