This G3 3yo event saw a very condensed finish with the first five covered by less than threequarters of a length and Aegon came out on top to remain undefeated. Aegon raced in the rear trio and was tenth turning for home and sixth still at the 50m but was surging and came with a huge finish to get up on the line by a nose in 1.22.95. The winners and where they came from in race order were led (a neck in front and one-off the inside), led (length and a half ahead and one-off the fence), third (a length behind and four-wide), sixth (last inner and four lengths from the leader), second (a neck back the outer), third (a length back and three-off the inside), tenth (four-off the inside and six lengths from the leader), fourth (a length back and trailing on the inner), fourth (two and a half lengths back and five-wide) and third (two lengths from the leader and four wide). The winner sprouted wings the last bit and preserved his unbeaten record to go two from two. He has come from the back in both his wins so when up to the mile or more it is hoped he does not have to give away such a big start as his finishing is irresistible. Second home was Bourbonaire at $21 that also came with a good surge after being back and wide and turning for home eighth. He unleashed hard from fifth at the 200m and reached second at the 5m but could not quite repel the finishing burst of the winner. Moana, a maiden filly at $37, after trailing fourth the inner and then being third across the top got badly held in at the 300m and only worked out with 100m to go. She surged to third at the 50m and went down a nose and a head, and while just a placegetter in two of three outings one of them now is at G2. Need I Say More, the $1.50 favourite sat sixth wide with cover and moved up fourth turning for home and actually led at the 100m only to be nailed late and finish fourth beaten half a length. It was a game in defeat effort but showed that the Australian bred filly is best when able to control the pace rather than chase it. Fifth home was another Australian bred in Suffused (stablemate of the winner), that settled second the outer and fought well all the way to the line to be beaten a nose, a head, half a neck and a short neck. Autobahn, also still a maiden and at $33, ran sixth beaten two lengths after leading up and only being headed the final 100m. Kobe Rocks was a game seventh at $31 after once again being trapped wide third then fourth the outer and turning for home fifth. She was sixth at the 200m and 100m and fought gamely all things considered and is surely only a decent draw away from cashing in. Screamin Eagle ran on okay for a maiden that settled well back on the inner and turned for home eleventh. The gaps started opening up with over five and a half lengths back to Grand Gesture and up to almost eleven and a half lengths to the last runner home namely Run For Cover. Of the last five home Vishakha was noticed running on the last little bit. The bunched finish is a worry but the way that Aegon has won both his outings he has been uber-impressive and he can come from anywhere it does seem. His will to win is immense but he cannot keep giving away such starts so hopefully as the trips get longer he will not have to be as far back. The maiden filly Moana was game in defeat and the unbeaten odds on Need I Say More was not disgraced with his close up fourth. A lot of kudos for Kobe Rocks and to a lesser extent Screamin Eagle. This race and result is all about the undefeated Aegon but has that proviso of what is he beating, which makes for an interesting first 3yo G1 feature coming up at Riccarton in the second weekend of November.