The Listed 1200m was run on a tricky wet track and on a day swimmers cleaned up markedly. There has not really been a Spring for New Zealand in 2016 as the wet weather has been prevalent and now wind is playing havoc so what Summer holds is anyone’s guess. It seems a period of extreme weather one way or the other so it does not augur well for track preparation and maintenance. The winner today was North And South, a known mudlark, that last won a race in the middle of Winter in June. The 7yo backrunner dropped out to the rear as usual but could stay in touch on the awful Otaki footing and her rider cut the corner to move into fourth turning for home then grabbed the lead at the 300m. She swam clear then shortened stroke late to hang on by half neck and clock 1:12.23, which is a misleading time for the 1200m, as the footing was worse than that for sure and is proven by the G3 mile for 3yos run two races later in worse than 1:40. It was the tenth win in thirty-five starts for North And South and was incredibly her first win at blacktype level. Summer’s Day ran a good second considering she is a six-win mare and carried 53kg like the winner that had won a third more races. It is poignant to note the quinella here were backrunners. Miss Appleton sat outside the leader and fought on for third while Salamanca under 57kg ran on okay after losing his place for fourth. Adventador fought on for fifth after being a co-leader to the home turn under 58kg while Scapolo carrying 60kg was running home generously the closing stages. Southern Icon was better than it can ever read for seventh after being third wide throughout, as he did not chuck in the towel. Britt Ekland kept coming down the outer from the back and was not disgraced. Star Wondering jumped odds on and after sitting fourth lost his place to be sixth turning for home and held up but he had no real ping the final 150m to finish ninth beaten almost five lengths. It was a poor run and the footing has been given as an excuse but that looks a trifle troubling as the gelding won heavy footing at Rosehill under 58kg in January plus won on soft/slow ground at Wanganui by six lengths in May last year. Los Vargas was outclassed and Ginner Hart was poor and he maybe close to retirement on such an effort. The field was not very strong at all for a Listed Open Handicap and the weights looked iffy too so add in a wet tricky track and the result is untrustable. On improved footing you get a completely different result and the winner North And South would not even have been in the money. The line goes through this result as being relevant for future use or trust unless a similar iffy wet track appears.