The track today at Hastings for day three of the Triple Crown held over five weeks was still manmade biased towards on pacers and the inside, just like days one and two. Races run inside standard and outside standard and way below standard saw leaders and on pacers and the inside lanes be unbeatable all three days and that applied today too. 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 much more that 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 sometimes all ran out of the money from fourth (in an eight horse field) and fifth to a very distant last in one instance and the last two home completely detached in another race. This G1 over 2040m at WFA is a two-turn race so manmade track bias becomes not quite as pronounced with much further available to correct or counter such glaring unfairness. The first race today was run at 2200m for Benchmark 72 and the two turn race clocked a very solid 2:14.58 with the first three on settling forming the trifecta at the line. The difference between G1 at WFA and Benchmark 72 under Handicap conditions is enormous and a different zip code or planet. After the last three years of this race have seen older male geldings or male handicappers only or wet trackers only, a return to the strength of New Zealand racing in fillies and mares got one back with the 4yo mare Savvy Coup. She ran a hot favourite and after sitting ninth the outer as some runners went a bit silly early, the South Island prepared mare was jogging eighth wide across the top about to sweep up. Savvy Coup gathered in a heap of weakening handicappers and wet trackers effortlessly and in fact was second turning for home and led at the 200m then powered right away with full bore momentum. She won by two lengths in 2:04.39 to record her sixth win in sixteen starts and her second at G1 (she won the NZ Oaks 2400m last Autumn). The moment several runners used up too much energy early the mare with stamina at 55.5kg under WFA had her opposition covered as this is the best age and sex under the scale for sure. The time was the second best run this decade with Wall Street winning in 2010 in 2:02.97 (or about nine lengths superior) and to show how the depth has disappeared in this race, from 2000 to 2009 eight of the ten winners in that time have run much faster than Savvy Coup. The race record is by Cent Home in 1999 of 2:02.16 (over thirteen lengths superior to Savvy Coup) ridden by a since bigger headline grabber unfortunately for all the wrong reasons in David Walker No surprise that the second and third finishers were also mares, as that is the sex catered for excessively by New Zealand thoroughbred racing and breeding and with higher stakes and bonuses and generous sex allowances and so many more blacktype and racing opportunities. Lizzie L'Amour ran on well for second having drawn the ace and getting a nice run sixth but when worked off before the home turn did get held up. The 6yo dual G1 winner under WFA drove through fourth at the 200m and then chased in vain to be second at the 100m. She has been tried in Australia four times at G2, G3 and Listed level and been found out badly with the efforts being seventh of nine runners, sixth of twelve runners, tenth of twelve runners and eleventh of twelve runners for some perspective. Danzdanzdance, a 4yo mare having her first race left-handed and second up with a 1400m win resuming so was rising 640m in this and tackling G1 under WFA versus allcomers for the first time, ran on well to get third on the post. The Australian bred mare from gate four was eighth the inner then tenth across the top but worked off turning for home then she reached eighth at the 200m. Once into proper clear air she kept coming to nab third and was two and a half lengths form the winner at the line with what can only be described as a most unorthodox preparation and one that may only work at home in New Zealand due to depth of opposition. Scott Base was the first male runner home and the 4yo lost third right on the line and seemed to be caught napping, after racing back then being wide with cover across the top improving. He got a cart up and reached seventh turning in then surged into third at the 200m and looked sure to fill that position until lipped out on the post. He was disappointing overall as he hit that flat spot many gallopers do from the 200m to the 100m and just maybe he is now only a miler as a 4yo or needs a change in stable. Our Abbadean ran on for a distant fifth beaten almost four and a half lengths after being in the rear duo to the home turn and the second widest runner turning in. She was never a win hope being that far back looking at the track bias and this race while run fairly solidly early was not exactly a torrid contest as the time shows. Just Call Me Sir won this as a 3yo in 1998 leading all the way and ran 2:04.06 (two lengths superior to Savvy Coup) though he did only carry 48kg under WFA. Legs won this as a 4yo mare and like Savvy Coup had won the G1 NZ Oaks the season before and she clocked 2:03.82 (four lengths superior time) plus it must be noted she tried G1 in Australia afterwards and was sixth beaten almost ten lengths in the Mackinnon Stakes won by Desert War, an on pacer. Big Mike, a handicapper, set the pace and tried to outstay them but once headed at the 300m weakened out but was not disgraced in finishing sixth beaten just over four and a half lengths. The manmade track bias helped his cause today. He is not a WFA class galloper so his effort does cast a light on many others trying this race that are not of that standard or race type too. Hello It's Me ran an honest seventh after racing in that position the outer most of the way and like her stablemate the third finisher, she came in with an unorthodox preparation. She had won fresh up 1200m at home then finished fifth over 1400m at home so was third up rising 640m and racing left-handed for the first time and at G1 under WFA versus all comers. Five To Midnight, a handicapper, ran on late from the rear duo and after being the widest runner turning for home. Tomelilla was an honest ninth beaten just under six lengths after racing fifth the outer as she was tackling G1 at WFA against allcomers for the first time and the farthest she had tried prior to today was 1800m. The rest were beaten almost eight lengths and up to twenty-three and a half lengths and were either gassed or did not run the trip out properly. Authentic Paddy was poor again and Contessa Vanessa has been dreadful in her last two runs. Seventh Up did not run the trip is appeared. Saint Emilion was a complete flop in running a clear last after being wide and working forward early but was in reverse before the home turn. Savvy Coup is now headed to the Cox Plate to tackle the wonder mare Winx and is at the right age to tackle this event as Sunline started her epic Moonee Valley rampage in that race as a 4yo. The male gallopers in the race today were either slightly below par or handicappers masquerading as WFA gallopers, so the race depth was very dubious overall. The saving grace is an up and coming 4yo won it so there is hope for some in this to go on with it but not very many. Mares have won this race eight of the nineteen runnings this century and Savvy Coup joins Legs (2006) and Princess Coup (2007) in this period as winners of the G1 NZ Oaks (2400m) when fillies that won this the next season as 4yo mares.