The track was a tacky Dead6 and with the rail out 8m it made for some biased racing and results and that applied in this G2 mile under set weights and penalties. Four races of the seven saw leaders or trailers (inner or outer) win and once the first two races had opened up clearly dubious footing the gluey aspect kicked in deluxe. Ocean Emperor, a known wet tracker (he has won at 1400m in over 1:30), relished the rain-affected footing and came from trailing the leaders to win by half a length in 1:36.57 under equal topweight of 57kg. He won the race when worse than midfield away initially but booted through on the inner and got right up to third and trailing the leader that ended up finishing second it should be emphasized too. The 6yo entire was winning his seventh race from twenty-two starts and has never run slick time so needs that cushion or cut or worse in the footing whether that be from natural rain or added water, sand-slitted venues or otherwise. Today was his second win at G2 (he raced close in the other G2 win as well) and having tactical speed is an asset. Tiptronic, a three-win local racing miles out of his grade led up and fought hard once headed with 100m to go. He had 55kg today, which looks silly for such a low win galloper and is shown up by on New Years Day this year he finished sixth at G2 under 52kg, so went up 3kg here for not having won in between and that exposes the depth of this field. The on pacer 4yo saw his racing pattern helped clearly by the manmade track bias on offer today. Travimyfriend, just a four-win Central Districts visitor, ran another blinder for third after being seventh or eighth the outer then moving up deep across the top. He surged and reached third at the 150m and was just a neck from the runner up at the line. The 5yo gelding has remarkably this year finished third at G3 under 55kg, third at G3 under 53kg and third at G1 under 59kg and now third at G3 under 55kg. His performances over Summer and into the Autumn show glaringly the massive lack of depth at WFA and as well Handicap level for sprinter-milers in New Zealand and that nothing is coming through to fill the void. The G1 third at WFA really exposed the colossal lack of depth at the supposed pinnacle level of the sport as it came behind Devise (beaten out of sight since in Melbourne) and Consensus (a fourth beaten six and a half lengths in a modest at best Sydney field outside the easy winner Gallo Chop). Travimyfriend has only won on rain-affected footing. Our King Sway, a known swimmer, ran on strongly from the rear for fourth beaten a length and tellingly he has only ever won on slow and heavy footing. Seventh Up ran on okay and fought well for fifth beaten over two lengths carrying equal topweight of 57kg. Nicoletta was midfield the inner and got right through closer in to reach second turning for home turn and battled away okay but had every possible chance. Coldplay, which started favourite just from Seventh Up, raced second then fourth the outer and moved into third turning from home and while she battled away okay she too had every possible hope. Highlad was not too bad as he needs further and Adriatic Pearl the rank outsider ran on after being slow and a clear last early. Watch This Space was back and wide and only got going very late but the way the track raced today he was in a no chance whatsoever zone on settling down. Three Auld Flooze and her stablemate Ruud Not Too flopped by running third last and last respectively with a four-wide trip affecting the former and not handling the footing harming the latter. Brilliant Shine, which had run third and fourth at G1 under WFA in two prior starts, could not handle a wide run and stopped. His effort again exposed the lack of depth as his fourth at G1came behind Devise and Consensus (see above this pair) and the third behind a since flopped Start Wondering. The form is not measuring up anywhere and worryingly is blatantly inconsistent, which can be track conditions presented and track bias (manmade or otherwise) but in general ability is the most reliable factor to use as guide and at WFA it is screaming mediocre from the bleachers. The time in this G2 race was just .11 faster than the Ratings75 (five classes inferior supposedly) won by a well tried 5yo gelding and while it was first use of the track that is still quite damning. This was not of a G2 standard field and the footing presented made the result dubious and not a real reflection of the race because track bias played a role too.