The first G1 race of the 2013-2014 New Zealand season was held on an absolute bog track that was seriously biased too at Hastings plus the race itself was controversial from the outset. In what is hopefully not a portent of the current failing direction of New Zealand racing and seriously collapsing turnover in recent years, where do you start with such a race? The track was a disgrace and to make it worse for bettors there was a bias too as evidenced by race patterns and the winning time here of the second last race on the card being 1:32.78 for 1400m. That is the slowest time ever run for this race since its inception in 1985 and it only became a G1 in 2003. Survived won today in what was almost four and a half seconds (about twenty seven lengths) the worst time ever run so the track was an horrendous holding bog and the times reflected this all day. On looser footing they would run better times but they never did and alarmingly the final event of the day, a Benchmark 85 won by the leader, ran half a second faster than Survived did or the equivalent of three lengths. Bettors do not like blowing their money on a bog and even worse a biased one. The form from this whole day looks irrelevant and many got beaten out of sight as they simply could not bog snorkel. Survived was a resuming middle distance male 4yo and his profile is now a clear pattern for winning this race with now eight winners of this race since it became a G1 in 2003 of that age including today. Six have been males and two females. Survived gave his sire Zed a first G1 win anywhere and it is now the best wet weather sire in New Zealand by far as his progeny need time but can all swim. The record of Survived tells you he needs at least cut in the ground and tellingly his fastest winning time ever clocked at 1400m is 1:23.67, so not many are shaking their boots overseas that can regularly go three seconds (eighteen lengths faster). He will stay at home for the easier spoils and it looks a wise move because on hard ground the son of Zed will get found out. Survived was appallingly ridden in Queensland last winter but did finish second to Hawkspur, so his formlines will be interesting to see if they cut the mustard over spring against heavier hitters. The bias today at Hastings was graphic towards leaders or on pacers and the inside were faster lanes so again be wary as the form cannot be trusted unless a wet track comes up again. Full Of Spirit lost her unbeaten fresh up record but ran a game second considering she did not like the bog one iota and was ridden handier than normal. Just consider this mare, while a tad unlucky more than once, was in four starts in Melbourne able to finish sixth, second last, ninth and last. It is a true form comparison of worth as three of her runs came just against her own sex. The effort of the 2013 Makfi was undoubtedly the mare Final Touch stomping home out deep totally against the track bias all day to get third. She would have won this easily on a decent surface and look out on a dry track next time out if she has not been flattened by the Hastings glue. Fritzy Boy and No Excuse Maggie like heavy ground and got helped by the track bias so had every chance. Postmans Daughter was slaughtered but typically got her second wind late in the race. Pimms Time was good and she is a mare to follow from now on as middle distance is her scene. Xanadu was a complete flop and Fleur de Lune rather weak, with the latter bar a gifted G1 under a ridiculously light weight in the Railway last summer not having done much at all since. Sangster can be forgiven as he, like many runners on the day, is not a bog tracker second up and it just adds credence to the form of this race and meeting being useless unless for another wet track raceday. The biggest talking point of the race was the two late scratchings ordered by the stewards after the race and one of them was obvious and the other not quite so. However at long last they considered the bettor is the only thing that matters in New Zealand racing if it is any chance to stop this turnover collapse into oblivion so backers of the well supported Thunderbird One got their money back. It is rare these days stewards in New Zealand get it totally right for bettors but they did here with just using some common sense and they are the people they are paid to protect after all, not the clubs and sagging turnover. Miss Pelear was a clear cut late scratching as her gate and opening on time was affected directly by Thunderbird One charging too soon and smashing into his. The rider of Thunderbird One was dropped soon after the start and he looked as angry as a man that had a hive full of honey and lethal bees plopped over his head! The reason is an attendant was holding Thunderbird One and he (the person in or on the stalls) tried to predict the start (not his job and never is) so the horse exploded a split second too soon and the rest is history. Bettors lose their money for all manner of silly things that have nothing to do with the ability of a horse or the rider, so when a gate attendant is the sole reason for Makfi carnage and G1 ridicule at the jump it may need a rule change getting invoked. Too many large bodies are seen lying over the stalls in racemeetings in New Zealand and it is overkill of helmeted overall wearers with grips on ears and manes and whatever else pre-jump. When you get several in the stalls it looks ridiculous and who knows if those horses in gates either side of what is basically ‘attendant planking’ are not aware of a big human carcass and do not jump cleanly. Many serious racing jurisdictions ban this people in the stalls pre-start as the actual gates are for getting a fair start and if a horse is flighty and/or a trouble maker well back to learning school or detention for it. It is racing and money of the public goes on the line so extra human bodies rocking and rolling on the stalls just adds another degree of Murphy’s Law on raceday. Jockey managers are fast becoming worldwide an unnecessary risk with so many types of betting open to query as policing the sport is hard enough but surely keeping folk in overalls and helmets away from inside or on starting stalls at the jump is a no brainer? They are there to load up so the bettors can load up with confidence on the tote or with bookmakers and any image of dodginess should always be avoided by a simple rule change. The 2013 Makfi will be remembered for a Thunderbird One early launch and Miss Pelear (as opposed to Lady Penelope) copping a fender bender. Thunderbirds were not go in 2013 and I reckon the Tracy family would have been livid plus of course Parker is sure to have been totally unimpressed!