This Listed 3yo filly mile drew a decent field and was run at a solid clip as two runners up front matched motors (the hot favourite and a maiden at double figures) and cost each other any chance. The finish turned out to be a photo finish nightmare as four runners were separated by noses and hard luck stories galore in the race. Respin, a last start maiden winner, settled down seventh the inside and sixth across the top before getting through one-off into third at the 300m. She took the lead at the 100m and looked set to score comfortably only to end up falling in at the line and winning an unlikely four-way bob on the line. It was her second win in five starts and the former North Island prepared filly has thrived and found it much easier since being sent to a South Island stable. Beneficial, which partly caused the race to be delayed for five minutes and saw some of her rivals unfairly standing in the gates for way too long to ever be fair, drifted back to last early on. She progressed though on the inside at the 300m then was eighth looking for clear air at the 200m only to reach fourth once through at the 100m. Then she came between runners like a knife through butter the last bit and missed by a nostril flare. Courte Zarindi was tardy and last away initially and then improved a few spots the inside and turned for home tenth then was angled off at the 300m. She reached sixth at the 200m and third at the 100m then second at the 50m before lunging at the line and missed by two nasal hairs. Greenpark Gem was a huge late finisher down the outer and after getting back turning for home twelfth and was still eighth with 100m to go. The filly then unleashed a huge surge and from fifth at the 50m to end up fourth but just three noses from victory. Pinup Coup raced fourth or fifth the inner and fought on well the run home when not always in clear air. The Sparkle was gutsy after being eighth and four-wide after 400m and sixth and three-wide midrace she just kept coming and actually reached fourth at the 200m so to be beaten in total a length and a half was admirable. The Precious One started almost at even money and was kicked through to share the lead early in a duel then got taken on by another after 600m the whole way thereafter and after being headed at the 100m got swamped the final 50m. She finished seventh and was only beaten just over a length and a half with the rider feeling she did not get the mile but that did not take vital things into consideration. The filly was second up after a long break and rising 400m plus got taken on, so the effort was not too bad all things factored in plus she has never led in her career and these things matter. The defeat is a total forgive after proper analysis for The Precious One and her time will come all being well and with good health ahead. Kiwi Ida fought on wide after settling back and deep and when ridden cold can get a mile it seems. Fictitious fought on okay too after being midfield surrounded and then held up at the 300m but she found the line for a better ninth than it can ever read or seem. Za Za Gabor would be odds on in a regular maiden but today she gassed herself and the chances of the clear favourite by attacking it well over halfway out to the home turn. She buckled from third at the 200m to be a battling ninth at the 100m and ended up tenth and four and a quarter lengths away. The Lustre got well back and wide but plugged on while Anythingcouldhappen, which dueled for the lead the opening 500m before being eased out of it to sit third, weakened the run in. Mossy Creek and Raven Darkholme never got into the race on settling and Major Ish Choux stopped after racing fourth mostly. This sort of finish is why the camera is invaluable and it could well have been an unheard of four-way deadheat for first in a Blacktype race. So many hard luck stories and you could run this race 10 times more and get at least six or seven different winners. The bunched nature of the finish is a worry as this many cannot possibly all be well above average but the race looks like being a rich source of future winners and in particular in the South Island. The time of 1:35.97 was just over a second inferior to the Listed Open Handicap following race and that augurs well for 3yo fillies being six lengths only behind seasoned older horses.