This G2 1400m for fillies and mares under the WFA scale saw Bisou Bisou remain unbeaten since coming to a new yard and the 7yo paid $17, where in a field of ten runners only three were paying more. The track at Pukekohe copped some rain in the morning and was downgraded from a Dead5 to a Slow7 and it raced biased all day. The winners and where they turned for home in order were third and widest, fifth and second widest, third and wide, fourth and second widest, ninth inner (four lengths off lead…angled off at 400m), thirteen and widest (four and a half lengths off lead), led (five off fence), third (six-off the fence) then finally fourth and second widest. To say the insides lanes were no go areas and a surefire loser all day is an understatement and the times were two to three seconds and a lot more in some events inferior to standard. The track was very biased against leaders (none won all day) with a couple of thirds only to show for the pacesetters throughout the nine race card and this circuit is very flat so leaders can often pinch winning breaks. Bisou Bisou is an Australian bred and she settled down in the rear duo and was ninth the inside turning for home but once angled off the 400m made up a four length or slightly more deficit quickly. She drove through about five-off the inside and went from an ominous third at the 200m to lead at the 50m and held on by a short head in 1:26.94. It was her ninth win from thirty-eight starts and she is two-from-two since coming to Nigel Tiley from the Kevin Myers yard and not many if any can improve on that astute stable. She had tried G2 earlier in her career and missed but today got the invaluable blacktype stamp of approval on her resume. Volpe Veloce started a clear favourite and after racing sixth wide then fourth wide the Australian bred mare surged the run home. It was no disadvantage to sit wide with the way the track was presented and raced all day and this G1 winner reached second at the 200m and led at the 100m, only to be outfought and out-toughed at the 50m. She fought hard but had her chance to score and maybe there was a touch of over-confidence by the rider too thinking he had her own sex covered despite sitting deep. Sleeping Beauty liked the wet ground and after working to the lead and kicking clear at the 400m she was gathered in at the 100m before finishing third beaten over a length but was over three and a half lengths ahead of the fourth finisher. Nicoletta raced second the outer mostly and was third at the 400m and then fifth at the 200m and 100m only to battle back and regain fourth at the 50m but over four and a half lengths from the winner. Save The Date raced fourth or fifth the outer and was seventh at the 200m but ran on again to get fifth. Goboniego the rank outsider was not disgraced in finishing sixth beaten just over five and a half lengths as she had won a Ratings65 prior to today and was at G2 under WFA in this so badly situated. Lucyinrio disputed the early pace then trailed on the inner and came through to second at the 400m before wilting from fourth at the 200m. Your Way never looked likely from settling down seventh or eighth and was last at the 400m so passed a couple only. Rockabyebaby was outclassed and now has had three runs (two at G2 and one at Listed) and beaten a single runner home only in two of those blacktype attempts. Yearn ran a shocker to finish last. Five of the nine races today at Pukekohe where won by non-New Zealand breds and significantly three of those five wins came in the blacktype events. Australian breds formed the quinella in this G2 fillies and mares event at 1400m, won the Listed juvenile event over 1100m and formed the quinella in an Open Handicap mile, while Germany provided the G2 2100m Cup winner and Ireland won a Benchmark 85 at 1400m. Over half the card were won by non-New Zealand breds and at a range of distances and age groups tellingly. Not a very strong G2 field of fillies and mares overall and the biased wet track clearly paid a pivotal role in the result. It is staggering that a G1 winning 5yo mare in Volpe Veloce could not beat a well tried 7yo mare at WFA. A few in this field are handicappers only too and some sprinters so the 1400m was too far on testing underfoot conditions.