This G3 1200m for 3yo fillies only was run on another disappointing wet track at Hastings but this was more manmade after some excessive watering on the Tuesday of 14mls left it vulnerable. Sure enough the forecast rain came on Thursday and some more later on Friday so from a Good track it became a Slow9 and very biased, with the ignominy being if only nature had been let do its thing the track would have been Dead5 or better. Hindsight is perfect but taking on nature is a surefire loser and yet another G1 raceday is ruined by excessive meddling in the guise of saving of the meeting. The sooner it is stopped and in fact some concrete rules are ser by NZTR the better as people can bet early now and do not like their money being at the behest of a track man or racing manager or club president and committee. The sport cannot take too many own goals at the moment as people want to back a horse and not a track preparer or racing manager whim or a club committee calculation, as all of these people get it wrong so often. Dijon Bleu loved the wet ground and swam away the closing stages to win by over a length and threequarters and clocked 1:13.97, which was a little over two lengths inferior to the Open Handicap held three races prior in 1:13.31. After being handy early on Dijon Bleu lost her place like a few and ended up eighth and wide but she had cover importantly. She strode up closer near the home turn deeper and surged in the ground to lead at the 150m and record her third win in six starts. Her only times missed paying a dividend so far have come clockwise but she is clearly stronger now albeit physically not a big filly. Whether she can handle better footing and further now becomes the key question after a Listed and now G3 easy success against her own age and sex. Florence Jean was a game second after racing outside the leader before taking over at the 300m and she will improve tenfold. She is like the winner in that definitely a sprinter category now but can they get the mile for the G1 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on November 18 looks the query. Princess Rihanna was the effort of the race for third after being slow out and a clear last away, as she really unleashed a big sustained finish to be beaten just over two lengths. She holds a nomination for both the G1 2000 Guineas (1600m) against the colts and geldings on November 11 and the G1 1000 Guineas (1600m) against the fillies only on November 18. Her dam won five races and was a deadest sprinter only, so the top three home today all have a lingering mile query at this stage. Astor was wide then took the lead at the 1000m and controlled the race thereafter until headed at the 300m, where she fought on until wilting late to finish fourth beaten over three lengths. Caesour’s Dream was a brave after sitting wide fifth the whole way and interestingly she has improved like the winner from a Taupo resumption in August. She finished fourth at Taupo and Dijon Bleu finished third behind Astor (fourth today) and Belle Du Nord (eighth today) on slow ground, so the form is holding up though until they meet on decent footing nothing can be seriously proven or even assumed. Lubaya was the best effort in the race overall from an Oaks perspective with the maiden filly at just her second start coming from the rear and wide with a good surge that screams Group filly in the making. She is a half sister to the ill-fated Lion Tamer (6 wins including two at G1 namely the 2010 VRC Derby (2500m) and Underwood Stakes (1800m) in 2011 both in the Spring. She is also a full sister to Let Me Roar (6 wins) but she was a sprinter-miler. Charli Rose was not too bad at just her second start while Belle Du Nord was barely a pass mark in eighth beaten over five lengths. She will get better with more racing and on footing that is not so wet. Hasahalo was running on the last little bit after getting back second last and she needs decent footing without a doubt. Short Fuse and La Mia Stella were outclassed but would be morals against all maidens. Dance For Money stopped very badly so she may not be a Stakes filly in the North Island at least. Shadow Dancer was a big flop so she will need to show something next time out but is out of a Zabeel dam so time is on her side. Once again with the wet tracks we find the form is only relevant for slow or heavy trackers and until we get some competition on dead or good ground then the pecking order cannot be known. This field was a legitimate G3 line up but the track presented was absolutely awful and biased plus many of these are sprinters only. The rail was out 4m too showing the problems with the track from Day One and having excessive long grass again plus being watered too much when some rain was coming all contributed to the biased Day Two. The jury still has to be out as wet track form is just that and big picture irrelevant when it comes to sizing up and comparing legitimately 3yo fillies into the three camps of sprinter only, miler and maybe middle distance and of course stayer.