The track presented at Hastings on day three still had that inside and on pace manmade bias from the first two days of the Triple Crown and only reverse sectionals (when they go very silly early and set up the swampers) changed the pattern. No matter if the footing is bone aching dry or an energy-sapping a bog if they go too hard up front and rider-silliness happens for the first half or more of any race then the closers will always prevail. The ten race card today saw several races run upside down in that the craziness for the first half of the race or more (still attacking or foot the floorboards across the top) happened for almost half the card as some jockeys got way too excited. The in race order turning for home where the winners were was as follows in second (outer), rear duo (8 horse field and five lengths from the leaders), led, third (trail inner), ninth (six lengths away), led, seventh (three and a half lengths away), second, ninth (four and a half lengths) and led. The four races where the winners swamped down the middle of the track from the back (Awatane, Madison County and Te Akau Shark) or though on the fence (Dark Princess) all were run crazily early and the overall times were well over half a second or over a second and in one case almost two seconds better than standard time. The leaders in these four races or co-leaders it should be noted all ran out of the money from fourth to a very distant last in one instance and a tailed right out last two home in another race. The races run below and just over standard and one race was a second and a half worse than standard all saw the winners either lead or sit second or third. Race pace mattered but going below standard or standard time did not prevent leaders from winning and in fact the opening event ran solid time for the grade at 2200m and the first three on settling formed the trifecta. The races where utter drag-racing madness ensued early all set up the closers and that will always happen as racehorses cannot keep going with the foot to the floor for too long anywhere in the World. This G2 3yo only 1400m was run at a fast clip so the poorly rated leader Sword Of Osman, that started second favourite, punctured and was swamped into fifth beaten almost three and a half lengths. Madison County ran third favourite and sat back tenth or eleventh and was wide across the top with importantly a cart up from the favourite Melt, the eventual runner up. The gelding was let rip after turning for home widest out ninth and the tiring leader came back to him and the filly Melt ominously at the 200m before she led narrowly at the 100m and then he buried her at the 50m. This pair had formed the quinella albeit the other way around at their last start at G3 and repeated the does today at G2, so look the true benchmark this season so far of the best male and female 3yo. The winning margin was three-quarters of a length and the time importantly 1:22.70, which makes for compelling comparison to the G3 Open Sprint (1400m) held later in the day that saw the same quinella outcome. Te Akau Shark beat Love Affair in 1:22.68 and both came from the back and the mare towed up the male across the top and near the home turn plus both turned for home the two widest runners. Madison County turned for home ninth and Melt seventh and Te Akau Shark turned in ninth and Love Affair seventh and both were in races run excessively hard up front the first half or more of the race. It was the second win in four starts for Madison County and his first at blacktype plus he has never missed paying a dividend so has the will to always compete. Melt ran super but she ran into a superior male, so she should now concentrate on the G1 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton next month and let Madison County rumble with the colts and gelding in the G1 2000 Guineas (1600m a week before). The maiden King Louis from gate three ran a good third albeit beaten over two lengths after trailing third the inner and moving off second when the leader tried to slip away turning in. He is a maiden winner in waiting odds on for sure. Star Performance from gate two was tardy and last away initially, so would have run third for sure if he had begun properly. He recovered to eighth the inner and then got a dream run through to be fourth the inside at the 200m and fought on okay all things considered to hold that position clearly. Sword Of Osman disputed the hot early pace on the inner from the ace (so the four inside gates ended up third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh showing manmade bias still has a say for the placings and first four in upside down run races) and led by half a length after the opening 400m burn. The gelding was never rated properly after that and tried to kick away and steal the race the run home but burning a candle at both ends has never worked before and it proved futile again. Sword Of Osman was under siege at the 150m and headed at the 100m then weakened out the closing stages, The jury is still out as to whether he is a sprinter only and/or has not come up yet and was poorly rated in this so felt the stress of going too hard early then asked to go again the run home. Cutadeel from gate four was an okay sixth and looks a middle distance type already. Sir Nate from gate five ran home okay for seventh beaten four lengths, so the first two home that were superior if a race was run like this drew out and got back but the next five runners home drew the five inside stalls and that is telling. Cavallo Veloce a maiden was in the early burn then sat outside the pace and weakened the run home to finish eighth. Thomas Aquinas ran on okay late from settling down last on his own after being crowded at the start and he has that Derby look about him for the Autumn. Princess Amelie can be forgiven after a torrid run wide early before getting over fourth the outer but the way the race was run her tank was flashing empty unsurprisingly the run home. Cyber Attack also has a wide run fifth or sixth throughout and had nothing left the run home and he ended up eleventh beaten just over eight lengths. He is by a wet track sire and has not paid a dividend on dead or better footing yet, so maybe they go too fast for him on better ground but he deserves one more chance to confirm or deny this. Platinum Mam'selle was outclassed and is better back against her own sex while Reeverderci after settling down second last never fired a shot and was disappointing. He deserves another chance to see if he is just a wet tracker or in fact can compete on top if the ground. Bobby Dazzler was a poor last and is a wet tracker by a swim sire that got exposed today so has been tipped out for a spell. The top male and female 3yo in New Zealand right now ran the quinella for a second time in a row and they are the Benchmark at the moment until proven otherwise. They are rightly the two favourites for the G1 2000(1600m) and G1 1000 (1600m) Guineas next month as they have closing power and a turn of foot and can sustain it plus both can perform too if ridden near the pace having won that way as well. They are two-dimensional on raceday and bettors like the Plan A and Plan B aspect for horses they back hard always being on the table. Sir Nate ran on well and he is peaking for the G1 2000 Guineas while the stablemates of the winner in Cutadeel and Thomas Aquinas scream Derby contenders in the Autumn next year. Thomas Aquinas still holds a nomination for the G1 2000 Guineas so he may chase that race still as placings are up for grabs behind Madison County at the moment. Several wet trackers on breeding and raceday performance were exposed today but the first two home that were very dominant over the rest are the real deal.