The course was very testing at Riccarton and many horses on the day were beaten margins that defy common sense for already wet track winners. The G3 feature mile went to the strong closing Miss Three Stars, a 7yo mare that carried 55.5kg and is also proven at middle distance. She drifted back early to the rear quintet and was there until improving across the top closer in than many riders dared to tread however got held up near the home turn when surrounded by mostly floundering rivals. The winning of the race came when angling through closer in and surging into contention at the 200m before issuing a threat at the 50m. She got up in the last stride and it also showed the track albeit a no go on the rail or near it had equalized to some extent at this time of the day where closer in from the middle lanes was no impediment and the winner of the next race after this showed it too. It was the ninth win in thirty-nine starts for Miss Three Stars but a first G3 win to go with two Listed wins and a G3 placing. The runner up and favourite Platinum Command probably should have won as the 5yo mare under 53kg sat well back and wide and used inferior lanes at times before being detonated the run home. She hit the lead at the 100m and looked the winner for sure only to get outbobbed on the line. Taurus was a gutsy third under 60kg after racing never too far away and he hit the lead with 300m to travel before being overtaken the final 100m. Maybe Miami showed the mile was possible after sitting fifth wide mostly and did fight on well for fourth and narrowly missed third money. Gwynethanne ran on well down the outer late after getting back on the inside and then working off across the top only to be held up turning for home. Justlikeyasister fought on okay for sixth while Absolute Excelencia and North And South were boxing on late. The latter could have been steered a path similar to the winner but was angled wider near the home turn and that tactical blunder sealed her fate. The ninth to fourteenth finishers were within a couple of lengths of each other but the final pair home got beaten out of sight. Whether this form stacks up outside the South Island is dubious and would certainly need a wet track to do so.