This G3 fillies and mares only mile was run on an iffy Riccarton track that had the rail out 7m to the 1200m and from that point on was out 11m. Only one runner all day came from further back than fifth turning for home and it was the mudder Son Of Zac that came right down the outside in superior lanes at that stage of the day. Coulee won this last year by a head carrying 55kg and today scored by half a length under 57kg. The now 5yo mare was winning her ninth race in twenty-eighth starts and she is a remarkably consistent type indeed. She has placed nine times too so has paid a dividend eighteen times but also has only finished outside the top five just three times, with two sixths and a ninth. Her tactical speed was crucial today as she led out then trailed third before moving into second turning for home chasing the leader Dontpokethetiger that would end up finishing third. Coulee took over 200m out and kept going too well for her rivals to defend her crown. Fascinate, the stablemate of the winner, sat fourth the outer and kept coming to get second money the closing stages. It was her first attempt at blacktype and her first placing at the mile so she passed two tests at once today. Dontpokethetiger, the only 3yo filly in the field, disputed the pace then took the front after 400m and kept them honest until overtaken with 200m to travel. She fought on gamely and only lost second late to be beaten less than a length. Fairlight was a sound fourth considering she was racing in a Benchmark 75 before today and the 4yo mare carried 55kg. Miss Three Stars fought on gamely for fifth beaten three lengths and was the first runner home that came from the back on settling. Pretty Good Excuse raced outside the pace and wilted the run home while My Chino, Laaffaire and Meursault all battled on the closing stages. The rest struggled and Double Blue sadly bred from both nostrils and as it is her second bleed she is now barred from racing again in New Zealand. The depth was very dubious in this field and while the winner Coulee was deserved there is no doubt the runner up, third finisher and fourth finisher finished too close up as already proven inferior types. Whether that be at either the trip or at blacktype versus the older mares or both they ran well above their station but what is more likely and plausible is the winner Coulee did not in fact need to run near her peak to win this. Miss Three Stars would be other from the race to back next time out with a senior rider atop.